Android

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at [Link]

Rating: Explicit
Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Category: M/M
Fandom: NCT (Band)
Relationship: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee, Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul |
Ten/Suh Youngho | Johnny, Lee Jeno/Na Jaemin, Huang Ren Jun/Lee
Jeno/Na Jaemin
Character: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan, Mark Lee (NCT), Lee Jeno, Na Jaemin,
Huang Ren Jun, Lee Taeyong, Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun, Nakamoto
Yuta, Suh Youngho | Johnny, Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten, Qian
Kun, Liu Yang Yang, Moon Hyungseo | Kevin, Bae Joonyoung | Jacob
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Robots & Androids, Alternate Universe - Dystopia,
Mafia NCT, Smut, Fluff and Smut, Minor Violence, Robot Sex, Angst
and Fluff and Smut, Gay Sex, Anal Sex, Sexual Tension, Mark Lee
(NCT) is Whipped
Language: English
Stats: Published: 2021-06-24 Words: 85,105 Chapters: 29/29

Android
by neochans

Summary

What happens when Mark gets hired by the NCT mafia to teach an android how to fight?
Well, Mark would have expected a few lessons on how to handle a gun and perhaps some
combat moves, however when he develops a strange attraction towards the perfectly
sculpted android, he starts to question if all this trouble is really worth it just to stay close to
that damn robot named Haechan.

Notes

This story is imported from Wattpad (@neochans) , so if you feel like you’ve read it before
this is why. It’s one of my first NCT stories I have written so please bear with me. I have
since developed as a writer but don’t want to lose this.
Enjoy!
 Chapter 1

Again and again, Mark threw up into the toilet bowl, cursing himself and his stupid friends for the
idiotic idea of drinking the disgusting alcohol they had bought at the market the other day. It hadn't
been good alcohol either, just some cheap brew that might as well could've been used to oil
machines. And those existed plenty around here.

After what felt like hours but actually was not more than twenty minutes, Mark's stomach had
finally emptied itself. Pushing the flush one final time, he stood up. His legs were still weak so his
arms grabbed the sink for support. A look in the mirror confirmed that he looked just like how he
felt: shitty. His black hair was messy, his skin was paler than usual and the dark bags under his
eyes reached almost down to his high cheekbones. The man sighed and splashed some water in his
face in hopes it would freshen him up a little bit. With his wet hands he went through his hair a few
times, flattening it until it looked normal.

Thinking that he looked the best it could get right now he left the bathroom. On his way out the
bathroom he swerved around the old pizza cartons and bags of trash which he had collected
yesterday on a dump down the street. The trash was mostly pieces of machinery that weren't
working anymore or old pieces of metal, thrown away by rich people who could afford not to
worry about it. Actually collecting this trash was one of his income sources. He sold the more
valuable pieces on markets and to sketchy people who used specific pieces of the old machinery to
build. Mark didn't know what and he never bothered asking as his customers paid him not only for
the pieces themselves but also for his discretion.

You see, Mark didn't really have one job. He did this and that to keep himself above water and if
this and that involved selling old machinery then so be it. His days would usually be spent
skimming through dumps and on the market, hoping for bargains so he could later sell the products
for a higher price. It might seem like a very unsatisfactory way of living but besides not having
much of a choice, Mark also knew there were people who had it way worse than him. He would
see them on the streets and the dumps he visited on the daily. Hungry men and women, thin as
skeletons, eyes deep in their skull, always big and glossy, the light in them at the brink of
extinguishing. There were many of them, too many. And the government or rather what was left of
it didn't care for them.

But that was not what Mark was thinking about right now. His thoughts were rotating around two
things: what to eat for breakfast and where the hell his cat was. While the first problem was easily
solved by a bowl of cereal, the second one was not.

Mark finished his breakfast quickly and then went on to search for his cat. She was very pretty, her
fur pitch black with piercing blue eyes. Mark called her Yoonji. He had found her on the street one
day, thin and very small. He didn't have the heart to leave her with the homeless who would
probably just kill and eat her so he took the cat home and nursed it back to health. Now Yoonji had
grown to her full size and usually would lay on her spot on the couch in the sun. Now however she
was nowhere to be found, leaving her owner to be worried.

Feeling still dizzy, Mark sat down on the couch, right where Yoonji's usual spot was. Lost in
thought his fingers traced over the couch's fabric. A few cat hairs stuck to his fingers, causing the
man to raise his eyebrows. He clearly remembered cleaning the surface before leaving to his
friends yesterday evening, meaning Yoonji had been here after.

Suddenly his front door flew shut, the loud noise making Mark jump horribly. He swiftly turned
around to see his two best friends, Jeno and Jaemin. Both of them were holding a cat each, Jeno
held Yoonji and Jaemin held a cat Mark had never seen before. Yoonji freed herself out of Jeno's
grip and happily ran towards Mark who gave the cat a few pets before letting her rest on his lap.

"Good morning." he greeted the two men who were still standing at the door. As Mark's apartment
was rather small the two were also standing right in the kitchen and only a few meters away from
Mark.

"Good morning to you too. You look like shit." Jeno said, walking over to Mark and bending down
to the man for a hug. Mark accepted the bone-crushing hug from his best friend and then scooted
over so Jeno could sit next to him comfortably.

"What a nice way to greet your friend." Jaemin scolded Jeno who only shrugged at him as if to say
it was the truth. Mark didn't take offence anyway. Jaemin was still holding the other cat who
seemed to feel very comfortable in the man's arms. He held the cat up and said to Mark "I didn't
know you had another cat. What's his name?"

Mark looked at Jaemin, then at the cat and then back at Jaemin before replying "What do you
mean? That's not my cat. Yoonji is the only animal that I can manage to take care of, another cat
would be too much."

Jaemin walked up to them and asked, amazed "Really? Well, he was playing with Yoonji outside so
i just assumed.." He crouched down to let the cat on the floor but the animal only purred and
entangled his claws into Jaemin's sleeve, making it clear that he didn't want to let go of Jaemin.
Both Mark and Jeno laughed at their friend who accepted his fate as a cat holder and sat down on
Mark's other side. The mysterious cat was now laying in Jaemin's lap just like Yoonji was in
Mark's. Both seemed to thoroughly enjoy the warm sun rays which were shining through the dusty
windows.

"I'm glad to see both of you still alive." Mark noted, leaning back on the couch. Jeno laughed and
said "Yeah, I'm surprised too. Whatever that was yesterday it definitely fucked us up. Jaemin threw
up about five times before we left to come visit you."

"Yup." Jaemin agreed and started petting the cat in his lap "We're never buying from that dude
again, that's for sure." he added and then giggled as the cat in his lap purred loudly when he
scratched his belly.

"He seems to like you." Mark commented. Jaemin nodded and played with the cat's paws.
Something in the way the cat's face moved as Jaemin played with it was weird to Mark. It didn't
look like the facial expressions of a cat rather than a human one. Suddenly a shiver went down his
spine as a suspicion rose in his mind. However to say it out loud would feel ridiculous so he just
shut up and kept watching Jaemin who didn't seem to take notice of any of Mark's observations.

"Anyway, how have you two been? How's the job? I didn't get around to ask you yesterday." the
oldest of the three asked.

"See, you were the one who insisted on drinking right away." Jeno noted but after a look from
Mark he held up his hands in defence and instead answered the man's questions "The job is going
okay. We get enough customers, I actually had expected less but I'm definitely not going to
complain."

Mark nodded in acknowledgment of his friends' success. The two had recently opened up a store
for firearms as Jaemin had grown up in a military family and knew how to make them. Of course,
their store was highly illegal but in today's society literally everything was. Trading, selling, buying
anything that gave some sort of entertainment. But the people needed it to distract themselves from
what the world had become.

Moving on with their conversation, Mark continued to hold a bit of small talk with the couple.
After a while however, Jaemin spoke up "I think we should go now. We're opening early today."

"So soon?" Mark asked. He didn't want the two to leave as they were his only companionship with
the exception of Yoonji who had fallen asleep in Mark's lap.

"Yes, he's right. We should probably go. But if you want you can visit the store on the way to the
market. You're going there every day anyways, right?" Jeno suggested.

"I will!" Mark agreed and laid down Yoonji so he could say his goodbye to the two at the door.

"By the way, what about him?" Jaemin asked and looked down into his arms where he was still
holding the mysterious cat. Mark chuckled and said "Guess he's yours now. I don't think you'll get
rid of him that easily."

"Great, one more baby to take care of." Jaemin groaned with a side eye to Jeno next to him who
gave his partner a nudge into the side and rolled his eyes.

"Anyway, take care, you two. Don't get killed out there!" Mark said before a discussion between
Jeno and Jaemin could start. He knew for how long the two could talk and sometimes argue about
the stupidest things so it was better to extinguish the fire before it could even begin to burn.

"You too, stay safe." Jaemin said and stepped through the door. Jeno gave Mark a quick hug before
following Jaemin through the door. Mark waved at them and then closed the door shut behind the
two.

Talking with the two felt good even though they had just seen each other the evening prior. They
were the only people with whom Mark let their guard down with and who he actually trusted.
Having known both of them for years, they had all grown pretty close. At first when Jeno and
Jaemin had become a couple Mark had been scared that now he would be off the table, left third
wheeling but his friends always tried their best to not leave him out. And Mark highly appreciated
that. Now the three were closer than ever and Mark simply couldn't imagine his life without the
two idiots barging into his house at random times just like they had done today.

Moving on, Mark took his jacket and gun which he always took with him when leaving the house.
If any of the police guards caught him with a firearm he would be dead but since the police's only
task had become to protect those who could afford to pay for it, he wasn't worried much. He left
some food for Yoonji before leaving, this time making sure the door was closed properly so Yoonji
wasn't able to escape. It would do her more harm than good.

Mark took his usual route, first checking the dumpster closest to him before moving on to the ones
in the higher class areas where the stuff would have higher quality and therefore higher value. He
wasn't scared of any homeless people as not only was he dressed properly and therefore looked
good and from higher class but also he had his gun visible which basically protected him from
getting attacked. If however someone were to attack him, he was pretty good not only with his gun
but also in martial arts. Something that he had learned from his father before the man passed away.

He passed a few homeless people on his way but the closer he got to the city centre the more
crowded it got. All sorts of people were out today, most of them like Mark but some not so much.
People with robotic arms and legs, or hybrids so a mix from humans and animals, were not an
exception. They weren't looked down upon either as one might think. Many of them were what
kept the society going, not only as entertainment but also as hard workers. When the government
had failed during the climate crisis the first hybrids had appeared. Nobody knew their origin but
they turned out to be very intelligent and inhumane fighters. However, not wanting to be kept in
cages they rebelled against the government, leaving the authorities to just let them be.

There were also rumours about the government experimenting with human-robot mixes but
nowadays you never knew what was the truth and what wasn't. Mark had made it a rule to himself
to only believe what he saw with his own eyes and until now he had yet to meet an android.

He finally arrived at the higher class area that he had been aiming for. He knew a new load of trash
would be delivered here every two days or so which was why he was now skimming through the
stuff. However to his disappointment nothing of importance or value was found. So his next stop
was the market where he brought the bags of trash he had been collecting at home. Upon arrival he
met a familiar man.

"Hey, whatcha up to?" Johnny asked. Mark looked up and smiled at the man. Johnny was probably
the only person besides Jaemin and Jeno that had seen him smile in a while. The man was a few
years older than Mark and the owner of one of the market's stands for crafting tools. Him and his
boyfriend Ten were having the business together, however Ten was barely in and Mark hadn't
exchanged more than a few sentences in his life with the man.

With Johnny however he felt like he could freely chat. The two talked about Mark's night with his
friends before Johnny offered Mark a good price for a few old tools. Mark knew they weren't even
worth half of the money but Johnny wouldn't let him go lower. Said it wasn't fair and that Mark
shouldn't complain that Johnny was paying him so much. Mark knew that Johnny cared for him
and tried to help him by giving him more money than necessary. He felt guilty because of that but
at the same time he did need the money.

Leaving Johnny's store he was on his way to another customer when suddenly his watch vibrated,
indicating that he got a call. He accepted it, wondering who it was.

"Hello? Who's this?" he asked.

"Wow, what a way to greet your friend. You should really work on that you know." Jaemin's voice
was heard. Mark rolled his eyes and replied "What is it jae? Missed me already? I would've come
over in a few hours anyways."

"Well, you might want to change that to now. I've got something that might spark your interest."
Jaemin said mysteriously. Already knowing that he wouldn't get any more information out of
Jaemin, Mark said "Ok, I'll be there in ten."

"Great, see you then." Jaemin responded and hung up.

Mark sighed and left his bags in an alleyway behind some boxes so they wouldn't be found. Then
he quickly hurried to Jaemin and Jeno's store. He knew something was up as usually Jaemin
wouldn't call him just to see him. The man knew Mark was busy and most of the time wouldn't
pick up anyways. Right now, Mark wondered whether he would regret picking up this call as he
really had no idea of what was to come.
 Chapter 2

Mark soon arrived at the store. It was not too far away from the market but still a bit of a walk so
the man was slightly out of breath when he opened the entrance door.

Every time he entered the building he almost forgot that deadly firearms, most frequently guns,
were sold here. The room had a cozy vibe to it and if he didn't look too close at the displays the
store could pass by as either a book or a flower shop as both existed plenty. Despite the cozy vibes
and their harmless look, neither the books nor the flowers were really innocent. The books were
manuals on how to use the guns displayed and the plants were for Jeno's very own use which could
mean weed on one day and deadly poison on the next. Therefore Mark was always very careful
when moving around, making sure to not accidentally let a plant touch his skin.

Speaking of Jeno, the man appeared from one of the back rooms and exclaimed "Hey, you came!
Glad you're here."

"Me too. I did not expect to see you that soon again." Mark snickered. Jeno stuck his tongue out at
him and then motioned with his hand for Mark to follow him.

Trailing behind his friend, Mark once again inspected the room. Despite having spent quite a lot of
time here, mostly helping his friends building all the shelves and arranging the furniture, Mark was
still impressed with just how well it looked. The two walked into a back room which Mark had
never been in before. It was small, only containing a table with six chairs around it. Three of the
seats were occupied, one by Jaemin and the other two by two men Mark had never seen before. He
politely bowed to them as they looked older than him and he still used his old etiquette.

"So you're Mark Lee?" one of the men asked as Mark and Jeno took a seat.

"Yes, I am. And you are?" he replied, giving a small head nod.

"My name is Lee Taeyong, I'm the leader of the Nct Mafia, you might've heard it. The man next to
me is my right hand Jung Jaehyun." the man introduced himself and his partner. Mark gulped,
realizing who this person was.

Lee Taeyong was one of the best known criminals around the city. Him and his mafia called Nct
were big in business when it came to dealing with drugs and guns. Mark never had to come in
contact with one of their members but he had heard the name 'Nct' being praised as the one
organisation that might be able to overthrow the local police which was a somewhat very scary
thought. Mark hadn't heard of Jung Jaehyun however he had no doubt that the handsome man was
very likely pretty dangerous. Both mafia members had a serious look on their face which
intimidated Mark quite a bit. His eyes switched to Jaemin who didn't seem to be affected by the
men's authority at all. He just had a smile on his lips, looking at Jeno in adoration. Jeno himself
was wearing a poker face that Mark couldn't read, despite knowing Jeno in and out.

"It's nice to meet you." Mark said, bowing again to the two older men. "Now why am I here?" he
asked into the round, mainly towards Jaemin because he had been the one to call Mark here.

"We have an offer to make. However, I'll need you to sign this NDA first." Taeyong answered him
and pulled out a paper.

"NDA?" Mark asked in confusion.

"Non-disclosure agreement. You won't say anything or we will kill you with your legal consent."
Jaehyun spoke for the first time. His deep voice and what he said gave Mark the chills. He pulled
the paper close to him and read it. It basically said what Jaehyun had already stated.

"So I assume this is about something illegal?" he asked. Taeyong nodded and handed him a pen.
Mark took it and looked at it. It was pitch black and had the word 'Nct' in neon green engraved at
the side. He signed the contract and then gave it back to Taeyong with the pen.

"Great! So now that that's done, we can give you more details on the deal we're offering you."
Taeyong announced. Mark exchanged a look with Jaemin who gave him a wink. It was really
irritating how the man was so relaxed in the presence of a highly dangerous criminal and his right
hand. but then again Jaemin and Jeno were owners of an illegal weapon store so they might've had
the time to get used to being around criminals.

"What is it?" Mark asked, now looking back to Taeyong.

"A few members of my mafia have recently developed an android model and are currently in the
process of building it. however we would need someone to teach it, live with it, see how it works if
it works at all." Taeyong explained.

"And you want to be that person?" Mark questioned.

"Sure. Of course we would pay you. Our problem is that this android probably would need a lot of
care and a teacher and I can't afford sacrificing my members for that." Taeyong replied.

Mark tilted his head. It sounded simple really. Living with a robot person, teaching it stuff and then
done. What could go wrong?

"How much would you pay? And what services do you expect?" he asked, still contemplating in
his mind.

"One million Won per week and we would need you to teach it how to speak, do basic tasks and
such. Once we've confirmed it's working the way we want we could move on to more complex
tasks such as handling a gun or any weapon at that." Jaehyun answered this time.

Mark raised his eyebrows. It was a decent amount of money which he could really use right now.
And playing a babysitter for that much money sounded actually really nice.

"Okay, I'll do it. Just tell me what, when and where." he agreed after thinking for a bit more.
Jaehyun nodded and then said to Jaemin "We'll tell you when to call him. For now we need to see if
he won't leak any information." Jaemin nodded.

Mark felt a bit weird with being talked about in such a degrading way however he was smart
enough to not talk back against these people. He shut up and only politely bowed as Jaehyun and
Taeyong walked off.

"No more you complaining about having to store all that trash in your house! Yay!" Jaemin
cheered. Mark gave him a look but then suddenly remembered a question he had been wanting to
ask his two friends for the whole time.

"Why didn't you two agree to the deal? It would obviously be smarter for you. You have the
contacts, the facilities, everything." he said.

Jeno and Jaemin exchanged a look and Jeno motioned for Jaemin to answer the question "Well, we
do have what you said but we don't have the time. I'm busy in the store and Jeno is always working
on improving out weapons and customising them for the customers. When the two came in this
morning, it was just pure luck that they asked us and we immediately told them about you. I
suppose the money won't hurt you, will it?"

Mark laughed at that last comment and shook his head "No, it definitely will not. It's very nice of
you to help me out like that though. Thank you."

"Not for that." Jeno replied with his eye smile and patted Mark's back "We got you, hyung."

Suddenly a shattering noise was heard from the outside. They all looked up at the entrance of the
room but nobody appeared in the doorway. Jaemin stood up, the other two following him.

Back in the main room, the cat from this morning had laid down on the front desk. Jeno let out a
relieved sign and walked up to the striped animal. Jaemin meanwhile looked behind the counter
where a broken glass jaw was shattered into little pieces.

"Thank god, it's nothing expensive. You little rascal." Jeno scolded the cat who just let out a very
innocent sounding meow. Jeno smiled at it, leaving Mark to snicker at the younger's whipped
reaction.

"I'll go clean this up." Jaemin noted and started to sweep together the glass pieces on the floor.
Seeing as both his friends were busy right now, Mark took that as his turn to go. He bid his
goodbye to his two friends before leaving the store.

Still in thought about everything that had happened in the past few hours, he sold his trash like
usual. Now however his mind was occupied by the opportunity of living with an android. Maybe if
Mark taught him right, the android could be the one picking up the trash for Mark? It would be a
delight for sure as Mark couldn't really say that he was enjoying being in the dumpster every single
day. He knew that wasn't actually the purpose of the android living with him but it wouldn't hurt,
right?

For now anyways, he didn't have an android to do all the work so the rest of his day was spent per
usual on the market and the dumpsters nearby, looking for a few valuable treasures in the tons of
trash.

When returning home, Mark was welcomed by Yoonji who greeted him with a loud meow,
signalling that she was hungry. Mark gave her some cat food while making some noodles for
himself. He actually had planned to tidy up his apartment today but he was tired so he postponed it
to tomorrow.

And just like that the next few days passed. For Mark, each day was like the one before with the
little exception of him learning that Jeno and Jaemin had named their cat Renjun or Jun for short.
Not that Mark cared much for the cat but it was pretty much the only interesting thing happening.

That was until Jaemin called him once again. During the call he had the same mysterious voice
which now told Mark already what was to occur once he would arrive at the store. As he had
promised in the NDA, Mark hadn't told anyone about what Taeyong and Jaehyun had told him so it
could only mean one thing. The android was finished and Mark could begin his mission of
teaching it.

Upon arrival, Mark was only greeted with Renjun in the main room. Automatically his feet carried
him to the same back room as last time. This time however only Jaemin and Taeyong greeted him.
Mark politely bowed to the older man and gave Jaemin a high five.

"Our scientists actually would like to talk to you first beforehand. I hope you don't mind." Taeyong
explained after the greeting.

"Not at all." Mark replied. Taeyong motioned for the man to follow him. Mark did but however left
Jaemin behind. Mark gave him a questioning look to which Jaemin replied "This is all. I'm staying
here. Good luck!"

Mark nodded and absently followed Taeyong out the store. The two entered a car, Taeyong in the
front and Mark in the back. Due to the windows being darkened out, Mark couldn't tell where
exactly he was brought to.

The car started and raised itself off the floor. Yes, cars were flying now as people found it easier to
leave the floor to pedestrians and navigate through the air. Mark didn't own a car and only ever
drove in one on special occasions like when he had to take a taxi. Usually he would just walk or
take the underground trains which was why he was still fascinated by the way the car flew
smoothly through the air through what he could make out to be small alleyways deep into the city
of Seoul.

After what could be ten minutes but also half an hour, the car lowered down to the floor again. The
door automatically opened and Mark stepped out to find himself in a backyard of a big mansion. It
looked quite expensive and the man couldn't help but open his mouth in awe. Houses like these
belonged to the richest of the rich.

"We're here. Come follow me." Taeyong ordered and Mark obeyed without a word. He was still
too stunned by the beautiful mansion. Also he could help but snicker to himself as he saw a
dumpster nearby, knowing that maybe in one of the many days he had spent skimming through
trash he also might've accidentally arrived at this one.

The doors opened automatically and both men quickly stepped in. The entrance, while very classy,
gave off a rather mysterious and dark vibe. Not a single person was in sight and nothing was heard
except for their footsteps. Mark was irrationally afraid to gulp as he was scared Taeyong's ears
could even pick up that sound. The man was the boss of a successful mafia, who knew what he had
implemented into his ears?

Taeyong led him down a hallway at which's end was a staircase leading down into a basement.
Mark followed the man down the stairs until they arrived in front of a heavy metal door which was
locked with an electronic lock. Taeyong typed in a code and the door swung open, to Mark's
surprise without any sound. In front of them laid another hallway but for the first time Mark could
hear something other than his own and Taeyong's footsteps. A steady humming from running
machinery and a few voices were heard.

Out of one of the many doors two men appeared, both quite young. One was around Taeyong's age
and the other one around Mark's. The two greeted their leader before turning to Mark.

"Hello, my name is Qian Kun. It's nice to meet you." The older of the two introduced himself and
bowed to Mark who out of politeness bowed back.

"And my name is Liu Yangyang." the younger of the two said with a bright smile which was in
huge contrast to Taeyong's and Kun's serious faces. This and the man's adorable accent made Mark
instantly like Yangyang. He greeted back and then followed the three into what seemed to be a
conference room similar to the one Jeno and Jaemin had in their store.

"Sit down." Taeyong said to Mark and offered the seat next to him. Mark took a seat and looked at
Yangyang and Kun in interest.
"Now I take it that you're the one who's going to be testing our android, aren't you?" Kun
questioned. Mark nodded and replied "That's correct."

"Great! We're the creators of the android." Kun explained, pointing at himself and Yangyang.
Mark raised his eyebrows in surprise. He hadn't expected that of either of them, they both seemed
very young to be working on a project that Mark assumed needed a lot of experience and skill.

"You seem surprised." Yangyang chuckled amused, catching Mark off guard. The man laughed in
embarrassment and explained "I didn't think two men as young as you were able to do such a thing.
My respect."

"They're two of my smartest members." Taeyong commented and Mark couldn't help but feel like
the man had spoken in pride. Both Kun and Yangyang seemed to be flattered by their leader's
compliment.

"Thank you, Taeyong-hyung. Now however, back to business." Kun noted and his face switched
back to being serious.

"As already mentioned, we've finished the android. But we haven't turned it on yet. However both
me and Yangyang have agreed that it should be working as it's brain, dare I call it that, is already
able to react to stimulation from the outside. Right now it's in something comparable to a coma,
just for androids. We call it the 'deep sleep'. It can't move, talk, or think in that condition; however
the implanted AI is already being fed with information." the man told Mark. The latter nodded,
more to himself than anyone else as he processed the information.

"So will I be the first one to turn it on?" he asked.

"That's the plan, yes." Kun replied and added "Would you like to get to know it a little bit better
before?"

"Uhm, sure." Mark responded, unsure of what to expect.

"Well." Yangyang now spoke up "The android is in a male body. It was just easier for us to design
one. Anyway, his name is Haechan and he will be reacting to it. He should be able to speak Korean
however we're not sure how far he is developed. This means he could have knowledge of all the
words already, or only of the most important ones or he knows vocabulary but doesn't know what it
represents in real life. You better get ready to treat him like a child for the first few days as he will
be overwhelmed and the AI will be working at high speed at all times."

"You're making it sound like the android is actually human." Mark chuckled.

"Well, to be fair it's as close as something can get to being human without actually being human."
Yangyang shrugged.

"Got it." Mark noted. Taeyong next to him was eyeing his wrist watch and then exchanged a look
with Kun who spoke up "We will be delivering Haechan to your place tomorrow morning. Is that
alright?"

Mark nodded and upon Kun's request wrote down his address. Then he bid the two scientists
goodbye and let Taeyong guide him out the house.

The car which had brought him to the mansion was still in front of the impressive entrance. This
time Taeyong didn't enter the vehicle, however helped Mark to get on it.

"Me or a member of Nct will be checking up on you and the android from time to time to make
sure that he's learning well and you're not doing anything dumb with it." the older male informed
Mark who gave an acknowledging hum. He was still a but scared of the man and therefore tried to
reduce his words to a minimum.

The two bid their goodbye and Mark let the car drive him right to his own apartment, seeing as he
felt too overwhelmed by the situation to do anything productive today.

At home, he was greeted by Yoonji who purred when pet by her owner. Mark took her onto his lap
and smiled as he played with her little paws.

"We're going to get a roommate tomorrow." he whispered, full knowing that the cat wasn't able to
understand him. She only scratched his finger and then meowed loudly when Mark scolded her for
it. However the man couldn't stay mad at her for long so when going to bed, he allowed her to
sleep with him. It would be the last night of good sleep for a while and Mark wanted to enjoy
every second of it.
 Chapter 3

Mark got woken up by his cat. She loudly purred and licked the man's face, causing him to groan
in disgust. He wiped his face with his sleeve, cursing himself for ever being stupid enough to take
home a stray cat. But then again, he had agreed to living with an android so he wasn't really in a
place to complain about Yoonji.

Now being reminded of yesterday's events, Mark couldn't help but feel a weird sort of excitement.
Finally something interesting happened in his life because if he was honest with himself it had been
rather boring up until now, at least in the years ever since he became an adult. So this new
happening was more than welcomed by the man.

He stood up and gave Yoonji her food which she had been waiting for. He then ate breakfast,
watching amused as the much calmer Yoonji once again took her spot in the sunlight.

Hearing a sudden knock on the door Mark stood up. His heart was beating faster than normal as he
opened up the door for Kun and Yangyang. Behind them on the doorstep stood a tall box.

"Good morning." Kun greeted Mark with a smile. The latter bowed politely, then pointed at the
box and asked "Is that it?"

"Yup." Yangyang nodded and gave Mark a smile which the latter couldn't help but return. Once
again he noticed his fondness of Yangyang, probably also due to the fact that they were close in
age.

"Come in." he offered and led the two men into his apartment. They both looked around and Mark
was now glad of his decision not to collect any trash yesterday. It would've been too embarrassing
for the two very professional men to find bags of rubbish in the apartment.

"Well, let's get this big boy in here." Kun said and Yangyang and Mark helped to bring the box
inside. Kun laid it down and opened it up. Mark gulped as he saw the android for the first time.

It looked young, maybe even younger than Mark. Tan skin which reminded the man of honey and
hazel brown hair. It was wearing a white sweater and some casual black pants. If Mark didn't
know better he wouldn't be able to tell that that wasn't a human being but an android.

"Pretty, isn't he?" Yangyang asked as Kun laid the android onto the couch. Mark nodded, staring at
it in fascination. He bent down to take a closer look and was astonished to find how rich of details
the body was. From the hair which Mark was pretty sure was human hair to the lashes and moles
on cheek and neck, it all looked real.

"That's incredible." he mumbled.

"Took us quite a while." Kun noted and brushed a strand out of the android's face. Mark held his
breath, almost as if he had expected some sort of reaction from it.

"May I ask for a favour?" Yangyang chirped in.

"Sure! What is it?" Mark questioned, his eyes still focused on the android.

"Could you maybe take some videos of it? When you first turn it on, teaching it and stuff? It will
help us out a lot if we know what to work on and what to improve." Yangyang said.
"Of course, that shouldn't be a problem." Mark agreed, giving the other an understanding smile.

"Thank you." Yangyang replied and smiled back at Mark. Kun cleared his throat and said "We
should be going now. Feel free to turn him on whenever you like. There's a button behind his left
ear. Press it and he should be activated."

"Will do!" Mark responded and waved his hand as the two men exited his apartment.

"Now it's just you and me." he whispered to the android but giggled when Yoonji purred loudly as
if to say that she was present as well. However the cat was still bathing in the sunlight so Mark
wasn't all too concerned about her.

Instead his attention went back to Haechan. A weird but fitting name as it translated to Full Sun.
Indeed the android looked sunny, laying there in the sunlight which bathed his skin in the orange
rays of the sunlight. It almost seemed like the android was emitting light. As his thoughts reached
that point Mark shook his head and told himself to get a grip.

So to finally do something he set up his camera which would automatically send all the material to
Mark's phone. He struggled for a bit to find the right position but once it was set up he leaned over
Haechan, searching for the button. As Kun told him it was located right behind the android's left
ear. Mark took one last breath of courage then pressed the button. He stared at the android in
anticipation. His whole body was tense as he waited for something to happen. To his
disappointment the android stayed still, eyes still closed and nothing moved.

Mark already had lifted his hand to press the button again when the body moved. The man
flinched and scooted back a little as the android opened his eyes and sat up.

Watching it wasn't like watching a robot, it was like watching a human who had just awoken from
a deep, good sleep. Hence the name 'deep sleep' that Kun had dropped yesterday. It looked around,
up and down its body before testing the movement of its fingers, arms, toes and legs. Just then it
noticed its surroundings, including Mark who had been staring at the android in awe for the whole
time.

The man waved and said "Hello" with a little bow, not knowing what else to do. The android just
stared at him blankly, no emotions showing whatsoever. Of course not, it was an android after all
despite looking just as real as any human being.

"My name is Mark Lee. Can you understand me?" he asked next. The android tilted its head a
little, lifting its hand and booping Mark's nose. The latter had to hold in a surprised chuckle as the
action was rather unexpected.

"Can you understand me?" he asked again.

"Yes." spoke Haechan with a clear voice. Mark liked it, it was smooth like honey and somehow fit
in with the tan skin of the android. Despite knowing this wasn't an actual human being, Mark felt
as if he had to treat the android as one so he whispered "Oh, sorry."

Haechan didn't reply, only booped Mark's nose again who frowned. Why was the android doing
that? It irritated him.

"Don't touch my nose again." he ordered.

"What is a nose?" the android asked.

"What? A nose? Why don't you know what a nose is?" Mark asked but then remembered
Yangyang's words that the android would speak Korean and have the vocabulary, however no
knowledge of what the vocabulary was used for.

Mark touched his nose and then said "This is a nose. We breathe through it. Well, I do. You don't
have to."

"Do I have one too?" the android asked. Mark nodded and booped its nose the same way the
android had done before.

Haechan nodded and booped his own nose. Mark unintentionally cooed as the android looked
somewhat adorable doing so but then remembered that he was here to teach, not too adorable with
how realistic and cute this android was.

"Do you know what you are?" Mark asked it. The android's attention went back to Mark as it had
been on its own finger and nose before.

"I'm Haechan." the android answered.

"Well, yes. That's your name, you were named by your creators Qian Kun and Liu Yangyang."
Mark replied.

"And your name is Mark." Haechan noted.

"Correct." Mark smiled happily. He was glad with how fast the android understood and analysed
information. From what Kun and Yangyang had told him he had expected something way worse
than this.

"And who are your creators?" Haechan asked. Mark choked on air and stared at the android before
realising that it wasn't able to understand why Mark was reacting this way.

"Listen, I'm different from you okay? My creators are dead already and your's are still alive. Maybe
you can meet them one day." he tried to clarify. Haechan only nodded which was why Mark was
unsure the android had understood.

Suddenly Yoonji jumped down from her spot into Mark's lap causing the man to flinch. Haechan
however didn't and only tilted his head, obviously fascinated by the new discovery of another
living being.

"This is my cat. Her name is Yoonji." Mark told Haechan and held the cat up. Her black fur was
warmed up by the sun and she meowed loudly so Mark put her back down. Haechan bend down
and booped Yoonji's nose as well. The cat reacted quickly, hissing and and biting after Haechan's
finger. However the android had pulled away fast enough.

In a complete monotone voice he said "Hello Yoonji, I'm Haechan." Of course he didn't receive a
reply. The cat only turned away from Haechan and snuggled her head into Mark's sweater.

"Why isn't she saying something like you?" the android asked Mark who raised his eyebrows in
confusion but then remembered that Haechan would have no knowledge of why a cat wasn't able to
talk the way the two currently were.

"She's a cat, so an animal. And animals can't talk. Actually some can but that's for another day. For
now just know that the only beings you can talk to the way I'm talking with you right now are
humans. Do you know what humans are?" Mark explained. He could basically watch as Haechan's
brain or rather the AI that was in it processed the information.
"You are a human." Haechan replied after a few seconds to which Mark nodded "Exactly."

"And she's an animal." the android continued and pointed at Yoonji. Again Mark nodded in
agreement.

"You'll be living with me and her from now on okay? I'll teach you some things that you have to
use later on. Do you understand?" the man asked.

"What is to teach? I recognise the word but I don't know what it means." Haechan said. Mark
groaned and rubbed his temples in frustration.

"To teach someone something is to tell and show someone how a certain action is done. For
example I can teach you how to clean." he said in annoyance.

"What's clean?" Haechan questioned. Mark sighed. This would be a long day.

Mark went on to give Haechan a few basic lessons. It helped a lot that he could easily search up
vocabulary lessons for children and show them to Haechan. While Mark was cleaning up the
kitchen, Haechan was now sitting on the couch watching video after video. Luckily the
implemented AI didn't take long to process information so that after about half an hour Haechan
had learned the basic activities, animals and numbers. Mark was pleased with this solution as he
could do his household tasks without also being occupied with the android.

"There's so many words." Haechan commented as Mark had returned to sit next to the android on
the couch.

"There sure is." the man laughed and looked at Haechan. The android was watching him and then
asked "How did you do that?"

"Do what?" Mark asked in confusion.

"Your.. mouth I believe is the right word. It moved in a funny way." Haechan clarified. It took
Mark a few seconds to understand that the android was talking about him laughing.

"That's called laughing. We do it when we're happy or find something funny. Generally when we're
in a good mood." Mark explained and then watched again in fascination as Haechan's 'brain'
processed the information.

"Can I do it too? I'm in a good mood." he asked.

"You can have moods? You know what, nevermind. I'm sure you can. Try lifting the corners of
your mouth like this." Mark replied and put on another smile. Haechan mirrored him, looking
rather funny while doing so. Mark had to suppress another giggle as Haechan's smile did not only
look incredibly forced but also very funny.

"Keep on trying, it looks good." he encouraged Haechan. Suddenly his eye caught the camera on
the shelf which was still rolling. The man thought that enough had been recorded for today so he
stood up and turned the camera off. Turning around he jumped horribly when Haechan stood right
behind him. Almost dropping the camera, Mark cursed under his breath and exclaimed "Holy shit!
Don't just stand that close behind me and scare me like that!"

"What's shit?" Haechan asked nonchalantly, however taking a step back.

"Forget about it. Also you should apologise. Do you know what apologising is?" Mark questioned
and sighed when Haechan shook his head.

"It's saying sorry to someone when you've done bad or caused harm or discomfort to someone else.
For example now you should apologise because you scared me." he explained.

"I'm sorry." Haechan said. He spoke it more like a question which felt weird to Mark as it sounded
extremely human. Like a child apologising when it doesn't know what it did wrong. However
Mark let it slide, he would just explain it later.

He cheered the android on for understanding and then proceeded to walk into the kitchen. It was
midday already and so Mark's stomach was calling for lunch. Haechan followed him into the
clammed room and ended up leaning against a counter next to the stove Mark was cooking on.

"Is that what you're doing, cooking?" the android asked. Mark nodded and held up his hand to give
a thumbs up. However realising that Haechan wouldn't know what that meant he lowered his hand
again. To his confusion Haechan mirrored his action and lifted and put down his arm.

"Why did you do that?" the human asked.

"I wanted to see if I could do it too." Haechan replied innocently. Mark rolled his eyes but couldn't
help but smile at Haechan's cuteness.

"You're a weirdo." he commented and hissed right after as he burned his hand on the stove. That's
what he got for being too distracted by the android next to him.

"Weirdo as in the adjective weird?" Haechan asked, not taking any interest in Mark's burned hand.
The latter nodded and replied "Yup, exactly."

"Is it used in a positive or negative way?" the android questioned further.

"Can be used for both but in your case it's meant in a positive way." Mark answered.

Haechan didn't say anything afterwards and just watched the man prepare his food. Mark felt a tad
bit awkward but then he realised that there was nothing to feel awkward for as he was literally
talking with a robot, a very human one but still a robot.

The two spent the rest of the day together inside the apartment. Mark would've loved to go out just
to catch some fresh air but he didn't think it was a good idea to leave the android alone in his
apartment and going out with him definitely wasn't an option.

Therefore Mark sat down with Haechan and continued on to give him vocabulary lessons. They
worked out a method in which Haechan would point at a random object in the apartment and Mark
would tell him the word and what it was used for. It was tiring but necessary if he ever wanted
Haechan to function properly.

He was surprised with just how fast the android absorbed every tiny bit of information Mark told
him. But then again he had an implemented AI that was programmed to do exactly this.

The more time Mark spent with him, the easier their conversations got. Just after the first day the
man could now talk with Haechan the way he would talk to a middle schooler which he deemed as
a success.

Before going to bed he went to the bathroom and washed up. When he entered the hallway again he
jumped horribly when Haechan stood right outside the door. He cursed under his breath, clutching
his heart. Desperately trying to catch his breath he asked "What are you doing here? I told you to
go sleep on the couch."

"You have to press the button to put me into sleep mode. I don't have access to it." Haechan
replied, his voice as monotonous as ever.

"You don't have the access?" Mark questioned but however walked Haechan back to the couch
which would be the android's resting place for as long as he stayed at Mark's.

"Physically I do but my AI doesn't allow me to. The only way I can shut off without someone
pressing the button is if someone hacked into my AI and set the reset button which would lead to a
total shutdown and loss of all data." Haechan explained as he laid down. Almost naturally Mark put
a blanket on him and it took a few seconds before he realised that that would be useless. However
he would feel awkward removing the blanket now so it just stayed on Haechan's body. The android
didn't comment on it but continued on with his lecture which sounded like he was reading out a
manual "If you'd like me to wake up at a certain time that's possible but however you would need a
computer to do so."

Mark sighed and said "We'll do it tomorrow, I'm tired." Haechan nodded and then closed his eyes.

"Good night." Mark mumbled and to his surprise the android replied with "Good night to you too,
Mark."

The man pressed the button behind Haechan's left ear. As nothing happened he tapped the android
a few times before concluding that it must've worked. Absolutely exhausted, not physically but
mentally, Mark went to bed. Yoonji followed him into the bedroom. She was probably creeped out
by Haechan and Mark couldn't blame her. It was a very weird situation the two found themselves in
and so he allowed Yoonji to sleep on his bed one more night.
 Chapter 4

The next morning Mark tiredly walked into his living room, ready for his usual morning coffee.
He jumped when he saw Haechan's body on the couch as he had been still half-asleep and therefore
hadn't thought of the android. Appreciating that he hadn't made his coffee yet as he would've most
likely dropped the cup, he bent down to Haechan. Indeed the android hadn't changed its position at
all. But anything else than that would've been quite creepy.

Mark squinted, trying to find the button that would turn the android on. After a few seconds he
found it and pressed it down. Hums were heard, indicating that the android was turning on. And
just a few seconds later Haechan opened his eyes and sat up, the blanket falling into his lap.

"Good morning." Mark mumbled and rose back up. He didn't wait for a reply as the need for
caffeine in his blood became stronger by the second. Haechan followed him into the kitchen and
together they watched as the coffee machine filled Mark's cup with the dark liquid.

"What's that?" Haechan asked, pointing at the content of the cup. Mark rubbed his temple and
sighed. Mornings were not really his time of the day and it showed. However he told himself to
endure it and replied "It's coffee. It helps the human body wake up and stay awake."

A loud signal from the coffee machine was heard, telling Mark that his coffee was finished. The
man took the cup and blew a bit of air onto the liquid to cool it down. Eventually he took a sip and
sighed in content as the warm coffee ran down his throat. His eyes fell on Haechan and he choked
when he saw that the android had his mouth opened in an O-shape.

"What are you doing?" Mark chuckled and took another sip after.

"I was just doing what you were doing." Haechan replied, sounding timid and unsure of his action.
Mark tilted his head, trying to figure out what the android meant by that. In effort to understand he
puckered his lips and then his eyes widened as he understood. Haechan had copied him taking a sip
from his coffee.

This wasn't the first time Haechan copied the human. From the beginning the android had followed
Mark around, mimicking him and trying to adapt to his behaviour. As interesting as it was, Mark
couldn't help but feel slightly creeped out by it.

"My belly hurts." Haechan noted. Mark turned his head to the android and looked at him in
surprise. Haechan ineed was rubbing his belly area. Mark raised his eyebrows and asked jokingly
"Oh, you're hungry?"

"Yeah, I think I am. If being hungry feels like having a hole in your stomach." Haechan replied.
Mark stared at him in surprise. Haechan had needs? Why did nobody tell him that? It would've
been really fucking good to know.

"What would you like to eat?" the human asked, slightly irritated by the sudden news that
apparently he had to feed Haechan too.

"I don't know. I have never eaten anything. But I feel my energy running low which means I
should probably eat soon." the android answered in a neutral tone.

Mark sighed and decided that a bowl of cereal would have to do for Haechan. He made him one
and placed it on the table for Haechan to eat. The android sat down with a 'Thank you'. However
he didn't start eating which irritated Mark. He took a deep breath and asked "Why aren't you
eating?"

"I don't know how." Haechan admitted.

"Oh, for fuck's sake!" Mark cursed loudly. Haechan's eyes widened and he looked scared. Mark
almost felt bad but then reminded himself that Haechan was an android and therefore couldn't feel.

"You want me to feed you or what?" he snapped. Haechan didn't say anything so Mark slammed
his coffee cup down and walked to the table. He sat down, pulling the bowl of cereal closer to
himself. Taking the spoon out of Haechan's hand, he cursed again and then scooped a bit of cereal
onto the spoon. He held it up for Haechan to see and then brought it to Haechan's mouth.

"Open your mouth." he instructed, glaring at the android. The latter complied and Mark inserted
the spoon into his mouth. He nodded and said "Now close your mouth and move your jaw like
this." He made a chewing motion with his own mouth which Haechan copied. Something that he
was good at.

"Good, now swallow." Mark continued. He waited until he could see Haechan's Adam's apple
move. Seeing as this was the android's first time eating, it didn't go all too bad. However a bit of
Milk had spilled onto Haechan's lips and chin. Mark bent over and removed it with his thumb.

Haechan's lips felt soft under his skin and Mark had almost stroked them. As he realised he pulled
away quickly, shaking his head to get a grip on himself. What the hell was he doing?

"Anyway, now go on and repeat what I showed you." he ordered and gave Haechan the spoon
back. The latter began eating while Mark leaned against the counter, continuing to take sips of his
coffee.

This had Mark thinking. If Haechan needed to eat then what other human needs did he have? Sleep
obviously not as the only way to put him to sleep was to turn him off or schedule the deep sleep
like Haechan had informed him yesterday. Which he now realised he still had to do later today.

"Do you also have to uhm.. shower or you know?" Mark asked, feeling rather awkward to address
this topic.

"What's to shower?" Haechan questioned. Mark rolled his eyes, feeling annoyed. Not necessarily
by Haechan but by the situation.

"You shower when your body is dirty or when you sweat a lot. So for example when I'm out and
it's really windy and my body is covered with dirt, I'll take a shower to clean myself." the human
explained.

"My body isn't dirty, is it?" Haechan asked. Mark shook his head, causing Haechan to smile "Well,
why would I take a shower then?"

"No, I meant in general! You know what, nevermind.. It's too early for me to be explaining stuff."
Mark snapped and turned away from the android. The clanging of the spoon against the bowl told
him that Haechan had continued on with his breakfast. A silence spread in which Mark finally
finished his coffee. Maybe if he didn't look at Haechan for a long time, the android would just
disappear. Mark wouldn't mind that right now. He was in quite a bad mood if you couldn't tell and
adding onto that he wasn't a morning person either.

The silence was broken by a knock on the door. Both Mark and Haechan looked up, the latter
looking from the door to Mark as if to see if Mark also had an explanation for that. Actually the
human didn't. Jeno and Jaemin wouldn't knock, they would just come in and Mark didn't get any
visitors outside these two. Hesitantly he walked to the door and opened it.

"Oh!" he whispered as he saw who was on the other side "Uhm Mr. Lee. It's nice to see you
again." he said in a louder voice this time.

"Call me Taeyong. We don't have to be that formal." Taeyong replied. Mark gulped but nodded
and let the mafia boss into his apartment. Feeling very intimidated, he timidly stayed behind the
older man who walked into the kitchen.

Taeyong introduced himself to Haechan politely. The android nodded and said "Hello, my name is
Haechan."

"I know. Now I have to talk alone with Mark here for a few minutes. You continue on eating."
Taeyong laughed and motioned for Mark to follow him into the back of the rather small living
room so Haechan wouldn't be able to pick up what they were saying.

"I see, you're making progress. He can talk just fine and he can even introduce himself. Kun and
Yangyang have outdone themselves." Taeyong opened their conversation. Mark nodded in
agreement and said "It's a bit difficult as he still has some trouble with vocabulary but I let him
watch tons of vocabulary videos. He learns really well but after all that's what he's programmed to
do."

"Correct. Have you had any difficulties yet?" the older male asked curiously.

"Kind of? He behaves like a child and I just found out that apparently he has needs." Mark noted.

Taeyong tilted his head, a few strands of his black hair failing into his face. He was good looking,
Mark admitted to himself.

"You just found out? You mean you didn't know about it before?" he asked.

"No, I didn't. It was certainly a surprise. Plus him acting like a child is a bit exhausting but I think I
can handle it." Mark responded, sugar-coating the facts a bit. Taeyong didn't need to know how
annoyed the man actually was with Haechan.

"I'm glad to hear that. I really hope everything goes well with Haechan because if it does then I
might be starting a mass production." Taeyong noted.

"You want more androids?" Mark asked. He wasn't really interested but felt as if he had to appeal
to Taeyong. The man was a mafia leader after all and Mark planned on living a few more years
after all this was over.

"That's our plan, yes. Jaehyun suggested that we could use them in street fights. We wouldn't have
to risk any of our members then. It was quite a good idea from Jaehyun, I must say. But then again
it's Jaehyun, he's a literal genius." Taeyong rambled.

"I wouldn't know. He seems rather cold from what I've seen but then again you certainly know him
better than I do." Mark replied, trying his best to stay neutral. He didn't plan on getting more
involved with Nct than necessary so this was rather uninteresting information for him.

"Oh yeah. He acts cool on the outside but on the inside... Anyways I'm talking too much again.
This is why I usually let someone else deal with stuff like this but this whole android thing has the
highest priority so yeah.." Taeyong trailed off. Mark nodded, not knowing what else to say. It was
awkward hearing the man ramble so much.
"Okay, I'll get going." Taeyong said, obviously having sensed that Mark was intimidated by him.

"Goodbye." Mark replied and guided him out the door. He waved one last time before closing the
door behind him and letting out a deep breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Who was that?" Haechan asked. Right, he was still here as well. Sadly hadn't disappeared like
Mark had wished. The man opened his eyes to look at the android and saw that he had finished his
bowl of cereal.

"None of your concern." he stated and put Haechan's bowl into the sink. He would wash it later or
order the android to do it for him. Certainly not what Taeyong had in mind for Haechan but it was
whatever.

"Yesterday before I went to sleep you mentioned something about being able to schedule your
sleep. You could explain that to me?" the man changed the topic. The two had resided back on the
couch and Mark was turning on the camera once again, just to film a little bit more for Yangyang.

"Of course." Haechan replied and then began explaining "So through a computer you can access
my AI but of course only restricted parts. Once you link me up you should be finding two sections.
One is shutting me off which would result in a complete loss of data. The other one is scheduling
my sleeping time. It can be adjusted later on so don't worry about that."

"Interesting. How do I link you up?" Mark questioned. Haechan pulled away a bit of his hair
behind his ear. Next to the familiar button Mark could make out another one. Haechan pressed it
and Mark received a message on his own device that he could now access the two options.
Impressed by the technology he chose the second one and set Haechan's sleeping schedule to
between 1 am and 6 am. Like this the robot would still be awake when Mark was going to bed and
already awake when Mark woke up. Maybe the man could teach him how to make breakfast so
whenever Mark would wake up his breakfast was already prepared.

He unlinked himself from Haechan who sat still for a moment, spacing out. Mark assumed it was
him saving his new settings. Afterwards he nodded to himself and then turned to Mark.

"What's the plan for today? Will you continue teaching me?" he asked. Mark gave him a curt nod
and then started with the same method they had tried yesterday. Haechan would point at something
random in the apartment and Mark would explain what it was for. Yesterday they had already
pretty much covered the living room which was why now Mark was explaining the kitchen. The
man showed Haechan the fridge, the stove, the oven and the toaster. He explained that the dishes
had to be washed so that whenever Haechan needed to eat, he had to wash his dishes afterwards.
The android had no problem catching up with Mark whatsoever which relieved Mark. He didn't
like getting frustrated with the android as he would lash out at him then. Before moving on, Mark
gave Haechan the task to feed Yoonji.

The cat had been watching the two for a while now but when she heard the sound of food in her
bowl she immediately jumped down from her usual spot. However she seemed intimidated by
Haechan who was standing next to the bowl. Mark behind him called Yoonji and she hesitantly
walked over and ate her food. Her eyes stayed on Haechan the whole time and Mark knew it would
take some time until she was used to the android.

"Well done." Mark told Haechan. He then turned off the camera which had been rolling the whole
time. Then he and Haechan moved on into the bathroom. Mark felt really uncomfortable however
if Haechan had to eat then he would probably have to poop too.

He briefly explained the concept, not trying to go too much into detail. He was sure the android
was smart enough to figure them out on his own. They moved on to the shower where Mark said
"This is what I was talking about. This is where we clean our bodies. Basically you turn the water
on, get some soap and rub it against your body. It'll clean you off, you just have to wash away the
soap. After you turn off the water again and dry yourself off before putting on your clothes. Do you
understand?"

Haechan nodded and his eyes traveled over the bathroom before suddenly fixating on something.
Mark turned to look at what it was and saw the mirror. Haechan stared in fascination.

"Hello. My name is Haechan." he said in his usual neutral voice. Mark laughed at the android's
attempt to greet his own mirror image.

"This is a mirror. The men you see there are the two of us right now. Me and you. It's like a camera
in real time and it doesn't record, only reflects." he explained, holding back another chuckle.

"So this is you?" Haechan asked and pointed at Mark in the mirror. The human nodded.

"And that's me?" Haechan questioned and pointed at himself. Mark nodded again and watched as
Haechan touched the mirror in fascination. The human realised that this was Haechan's first time
seeing himself and the android seemed to be impressed by it. That was if he could even get
impressed at all.

Mark left him a bit of time before the two exited the bathroom. Haechan continued on asking tons
of questions and after a while Mark started to feel bored out by it. He told Haechan he would be
going out and that he would be turning the android off during the meantime. He didn't have enough
trust in Haechan yet to leave him alone for hours.

The android didn't refuse and only laid back on the couch.

"See you later." Mark noted and Haechan nodded, closing his eyes. Mark pressed the button and
watched as Haechan shut off. He then gave Yoonji a quick cuddle as the cat had been purring
loudly, wanting some attention. Understandably so as Haechan had been the centre of Mark's
attention for the past two days. Mark gave the cat a cuddle session.

"Keep an eye on him, will you?" he whispered and giggled when Yoonji jumped onto the android's
stomach and cuddled into Haechan's sweater.

Mark finally left the apartment. For the first time in two days he finally breathed some fresh air.
Well, fresh in a relative way as he was still close to the city centre of Seoul but it felt good
nonetheless. Being stuck inside with an android was very weird so Mark made sure to make the
best of his time on the outside and what was maybe more important to him, finally alone.
 Chapter 5

Mark cursed as he realised he forgot his gun inside. However he was too far already and he never
used the gun so it wasn't that big of a deal. Still he would've felt more comfortable with it. He
strolled around for a bit, making sure to avoid the homeless. It wasn't all too hard due to him
looking intimidating and many of the homeless in the area already knew Mark owned a gun so
they didn't bother talking to him and stayed back.

Appreciating this, Mark walked to the market. He didn't bring any trash as obviously he didn't have
any at the moment, however he felt like chatting with Johnny. He hadn't seen the older in a while
and it made him feel guilty for not checking up on the man.

Indeed Johnny seemed to have missed him as the man happily greeted Mark upon his arrival at the
market stand. They hugged each other and then Mark sat down next to Johnny behind the counter.

"Where are your bags? I don't think I've ever seen you without them." Johnny questioned.

"Oh, I didn't bring them today. I found a different way to make money now and it pays better than
selling the trash." Mark explained.

"Oh what is it?" Johnny asked, his interest obviously being sparked by a new way to make money.

Mark gave him a smile of pity. He felt bad for not being able to tell the other however he did sign
the NDA with Taeyong and Jaehyun and he wasn't about to get himself killed just so he could tell
Johnny.

"Sorry, it's kind of a private thing. I hope you don't mind if I don't tell you." the younger said.

"No, that's completely fine!" Johnny assured him. Mark felt as if the man was still interested and
wanted to ask further but to Mark's relief he didn't.

The two chatted for a bit more before another customer came by and Johnny served him. Mark saw
himself out, waving Johnny goodbye. The latter gave Mark an acknowledging head nod and went
back to talking with his customer.

Not knowing where to go, Mark strolled around the streets. Almost automatically his legs carried
him to Jeno and Jaemin's store. He peeked through the window and saw Jaemin inside, leaning
against the counter. With a smile on his lips, Mark entered.

"Hyung! How have you been?" Jaemin greeted the man and pulled him into a hug. Mark returned it
and then looked at his friend.

"I'm doing alright. Struggling a bit with that android but it's alright. What about you?" he replied.

"Ah, I'm okay. A bit tired but that's just how it is. But tell me more about the android thing, I'm
interested."

"Am I allowed to?" Mark asked, hesitant because of the NDA he had signed for Taeyong at
Jaehyun.

"Allowed to what?" Jeno said, entering the room through the door which led to the back rooms.
Mark looked the man up and down as his appearance was not like the usual. His hair was
disheveled and a thin layer of sweat covered Jeno's forehead.
"What have you been doing?" Mark asked, giving him a hug as well. He patted Jeno's head, trying
to bring the man's hair back to normal. Without any success.

Jeno shook his head, his hair flying around. Afterwards it looked surprisingly less messy than
before. He cleared his throat and said "I've been working on another weapon but I'm kinda having
trouble. Also Renjun keeps distracting me, that little rascal."

"The cat? Can't you just keep him away?" Mark questioned. Jeno shook his head and smacked his
lips. "He's very smart and always finds a way into the room." he said, seemingly frustrated. Mark
patted his shoulder and said "I feel you. Yoonji also has been quite clingy recently."

"Anyway, what were you two talking about?" Jeno asked.

"Mark was about to tell me about the android. You know the one Taeyong and Jaehyun told us
about." Jaemin explained.

"Yeah, I know the one, baby. I was present in case you forgot." Jeno replied and gave his boyfriend
a nudge. Jaemin rolled his eyes and turned back to Mark with an expectant look on his face.

Mark sighed and pulled a chair from the side. He saw his two friends exchanging an excited look
which made him grin in amusement and ask "You two really want to know, huh?" Both men
nodded their heads eagerly.

"Well let me tell you, for an android he is stunning. He looks so real you can't tell that he's a robot
just by looking at him. And since I taught him a lot in the past days, he's also been acting like a
human recently. It's kind of creepy but pretty cool also. Sadly he still acts like a child sometimes,
obviously not his fault but it's getting on my nerves. That's why I'm here actually, I needed a little
break to breathe. I've been stuck inside with him for the past two days and it drove me crazy after a
while that I had to explain everything to him." Mark ranted. Jaemin and Jeno stayed silent,
obviously intrigued by what Mark was saying.

"So the android is a male? How does that even work?" Jeno asked.

"I don't know. His name is Haechan and yes, he's a male. He looks like he would be around our age
if he was human, so early twenties. He's quite pretty too but to be fair he was man-made after all
and why would you make your android ugly." Mark told him.

"True that. I would really like to meet him, he seems interesting." Jaemin noted. He had rested his
head on Jeno's shoulder during Mark's rant so now a few of his strands were in his face. He
brushed them away to be able to look at Mark better and give the man his best puppy eyes.

"Ugh, fine. Come over later this week. But just because it's you two and you already know
basically everything." Mark sighed. Jaemin cheered and gave his boyfriend a high five.

"Thank you, hyung!" he exclaimed, his mood obviously lifted. Jeno gave Mark a smile which the
latter interpreted as a 'Thank you for making Jaemin happy'. So Mark gave Jeno a wink and
grinned at the still bubbly Jaemin.

Suddenly Renjun entered the room, jumping onto the counter behind Jaemin and Jeno. The latter
started patting the cat's head, making him purr loudly. Mark was reminded of Yoonji and a small
smile tugged at his lips.

"How about you bring Renjun with you? I bet Yoonji could use some cat company." he suggested.

"What if they have sex though?" Jeno questioned.

"I don't think they will. We can keep an eye on them at all times, so I wouldn't worry about that."
Mark answered and so Jeno agreed to bring the cat with them.

All four, the three men and the cat, turned around when the entrance door opened. Two rather
tough looking guys entered. While Jaemin greeted them and asked them what they'd like, Mark and
Jeno just watched. The oldest had to admire Jaemin for being so fearless and making a deal about
the price of three guns sound like they were just discussing over the price of a coffee.

"He's good at stuff like this." he whispered to Jeno who nodded and watched Jaemin with heart
eyes. Mark sighed, feeling jealous. Not of Jeno or Jaemin but of what they had. He also wanted to
have someone like that but besides not knowing a single person he could imagine himself being
with, he also knew his lifestyle wasn't ideal at the moment. Having a partner would just put them
both in unnecessary danger. However this wasn't enough for Mark to not feel the stinging in his
heart whenever Jeno and Jaemin would act all lovey-dovey which to his luck they didn't do all too
often in his presence.

While Jaemin still talked with the customers, Mark bid his goodbye to Jeno. He had been out for
two hours now and felt that it was time to return home.

"Text me in the morning so I know when you're coming over." he told Jeno who nodded. He then
walked to the door, waving Jaemin goodbye and then exited the store.

Upon arriving back home, he turned Haechan back on. He didn't tell the android about anything
that he did but however informed him that they would have guests in a few days. Haechan didn't
seem to be all too interested which Mark honestly felt relieved by.

The rest of the day was spent with more lessons for Haechan. Mark let the boy feed Yoonji again
and today she was a bit less hesitant than yesterday. Mark deemed it a small success. They would
get there eventually.

He took a quick shower and then let Haechan into the bathroom. To his joy, the android didn't
seem to have any struggle with doing his business. Mark honestly didn't know if he had enough
patience left to explain to Haechan how to wipe his ass, which was why he had just shown the
android a video beforehand. It all seemed to work out and so both went to bed.

Yoonji had been protesting against sleeping in the same room with Haechan which was why Mark
had now allowed her to rest in the hallway. He had taken one of his old hoodies which she loved
for her to cuddle into.

In the next few days, not much happened. Mark and Haechan had now developed a routine.
Haechan would feed Yoonji in the morning and Mark would feed her in the evening. It worked out
well and Yoonji came to trust Haechan more and more with each day.

Seeing the two interact made Mark feel happy. He didn't know why but it brought him joy to see
Haechan playing around with the cat. It made the android look very human and young as well.
Also it was just a cute sight to see.

One morning Mark woke up with a text message from Jeno, announcing that they would come by
this afternoon. Happily Mark gave the news to Haechan who nodded with a neutral facial
expression. Of course he didn't know who Jeno and Jaemin were so he couldn't be as excited as
Mark was.

That morning Mark made sure that the apartment looked at least somewhat presentable. He had
taught Haechan how to do the dishes so now the sink was empty and clean. He made sure Haechan
had fed Yoonji and then cooked lunch.

It wasn't anything big, just rice with sauce but Mark liked it. After finishing and surprisingly not
burning the kitchen down, he presented his dish to Haechan.

"Try it." he said proudly. Haechan did and it seemed to be good as the android ate half the plate
before Mark could stop him. They ate together and afterwards just sat around, waiting for Jeno and
Jaemin to arrive.

Finally the door flew open, announcing their arrival. Mark jumped up and went over to welcome
the two. They hugged and Jeno let Renjun down who he had brought like promised. The cat
immediately jumped away from the humans and over to Yoonji where he laid down next to her and
sunbathed.

"Haechan, these are Jeno and Jaemin, my friends." Mark introduced them. Haechan put on a smile
(which he still had a bit of trouble with, it looked very forced) and said "Hello. My name is
Haechan. Nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too." Jaemin replied and mustered the android in interest.

"Hyung, you didn't tell us he was that handsome." he told Mark who laughed.

"Who's Hyung?" Haechan asked.

"Oh, it's a way of addressing someone older than you. Mostly your friends or older brother."
Jaemin explained, seemingly thrilled that he could teach Haechan.

"He's more excited to see the robot than he's excited to see me." Jeno pouted, making both Mark
and Jaemin laugh. Haechan didn't laugh because he didn't understand but the android didn't ask
either.

While Jaemin bombarded Haechan with questions at the table, Jeno and Mark resided on the
couch. Yoonji took notice of this and cuddled herself between the two. Jeno groaned, his cat
allergy being a bit troublesome. Mark noticed it and pulled Yoonji onto his other side so she
wouldn't shed all over Jeno.

"Thank you." Jeno said to which Mark replied "No problem. How come Renjun isn't an issue?"

"I don't know. We're guessing he's an anti-allergic breed and besides he barely sheds. I'm sure I've
never seen a cat who sheds less than him. It's honestly impressive."

"Yeah, that's because hybrids don't shed, dumbass." a voice said. Jeno and Mark jumped and turned
to find a young man sitting on the spot where Renjun had sat before. He was wearing a white T-
shirt and some jeans.

"Who are you?" Mark asked, raising his voice in panic. This attracted the attention of Jaemin who
walked over to them, Haechan following the man.

"What's going on? Who's this?" Jaemin questioned while Jeno and Mark both were sitting still in
shock.

"I'm Renjun. Well, that's not my actual name but that's what you named me so I guess it's my name
now." the man said, rolling his eyes.

"What? I don't understand." Jaemin mumbled in confusion. His eyes switched to Jeno and Mark
and then back to the man.

"How slow are you? Seriously..." Renjun trailed off, running his hand through his grey hair. It
weirdly enough seemed to resemble the cat Renjun's fur on his head.

"Hyung, what's going on?" Haechan now asked, tipping Mark's shoulder.

"I have no idea.. Wait, did you just call me Hyung?" Mark questioned hysterically. Haechan
nodded and Mark could've sworn he saw him blush as he said "Is that alright with you?"

"No, it's actually not but let's talk about this later okay?" Mark asked and his head turned back to
the stranger in his living room.

"Okay because you guys don't seem to get it. I'm Renjun! I'm the cat Renjun! I'm a hybrid and I
just couldn't stay in my animal form anymore. It gets tiring after a while."

"Holy shit." Jeno muttered, blankly staring at Renjun. He looked just the way Mark felt. He knew
the cat had seemed weirdly human but just wrote it off to his imagination. To now see it actually
happening felt like the carpet being pulled away from under his feet and he couldn't imagine how
Jaemin and Jeno must feel right now as Renjun was their cat.

"So you're a hybrid?" Jaemin asked slowly, eyeing Renjun up and down. The petite looking man
clapped in his head and sarcastically said "Wow, you got it!"

"I need a while to process this." Jeno noted and closed his eyes. He kept them close for a few
seconds before opening them again, immediately looking at Renjun.

"Not a hallucination, okay." he muttered, causing Mark next to him to giggle.

"Congratulations, you got it too!" Renjun said. Mark couldn't help but grin at the man's sassiness.
Despite being weirded out a shit ton he couldn't deny that the man seemed quite smart and witty.
Traits that Mark appreciated on anyone.

"Uh, I think you three should leave and talk all this out." he suggested. Both Jaemin and Jeno
nodded, both obviously still stunned by the sudden revelation. They bid Mark goodbye and so did
Renjun, giving Yoonji a wink on his way out. Mark stared at him stunned.

As the door flew shut, Mark sat down again. Haechan cleared his throat and asked "So what was
all this about?"

So Mark explained it to him and during the process connected the dots for himself as well. Who
knew the first time he would meet a hybrid would be in his own living room.

The afternoon transitioned into evening and Mark still felt overwhelmed by the events that
occurred a few hours ago.

"Hyung, can I have some different clothes for the night? I know you're changing your clothes
before you go to sleep too and also I spilled a bit of sauce on my sweater." Haechan asked as the
night approached. Mark was just about to go wash up in the bathroom so he said "Sure, just grab
some from my wardrobe. And don't call me Hyung, okay?"

He wasn't sure if Haechan had heard the last part as the android was already gone from his vision.
Mark sighed and went to the bathroom. He brushed his teeth and cleaned his face. He noticed a
little mustache above his lips but he didn't feel like shaving right now so he postponed it to the next
morning.
"Mark-hyung?" Haechan asked from his bedroom. The man sighed and exited the bathroom. He
walked into the room while complaining "How many times do I have to tell you to not call me
Hyung? I-" but then he stopped as he saw Haechan standing there, being completely naked.
 Chapter 6

"Fuck, dude. I told you to wear those clothes. Why didn't you do that?" Mark asked angrily, trying
his best to not look at the android's body. Despite knowing this wasn't a human in front of him, he
still felt the need to avoid the android's crotch area at all costs to protect its privacy.

"Are you angry with me?" Haechan asked and Mark could hear guilt out his voice. Once again he
was impressed with how close he sounded to an actual human being.

"No, I.. No, I'm not angry. I just want you to do whatever I say okay?" Mark said, feeling
frustrated.

"Yes, I would but I don't know how to dress, I'm sorry." Haechan replied with sadness in his voice.
Guilt washed over Mark and he cursed at himself for feeling bad for an android. However he
collected himself and took a deep breath.

"I'll show you how to, okay?" he asked and received a nod from Haechan.

"First things first, you put on these boxers." the man instructed and handed Haechan a pair of white
boxers. He turned away, not wanting to feel like a weirdo by watching Haechan dress.

"I finished." the android said. Feeling relieved, Mark turned around just to see that Haechan had
put on the boxers on his head. The man sighed and took the boxers off Haechan's head. He looked
at the android and said "That's not how you wear them. Watch."

He demonstrated how to put them by pulling them over his own pants and then took them off
again. He held them for Haechan to take who had been watching him in interest.

"Now you do it." he ordered and Haechan tried again. This time he was successful and Mark felt
relieved by knowing that the android's crotch was clothed now. He felt lucky to not have seen
anything, however he could not fight the tiny bit of curiosity that was wondering what Haechan
would have down there. The obvious outline told him that Haechan indeed did have a dick. A
blush spread over his cheeks and into his ears, turning them red. Embarrassed, Mark quickly
looked away again.

"Your face is a colour." Haechan stated and tilted his head in confusion. "It's called blushing
right?" he asked in excitement.

"Yes." Mark nodded and the android happily cheered before asking the human "And why are you
blushing? My database tells me humans blush when they are embarrassed. Are you embarrassed?"

Not knowing what else to say Mark just replied "Yes, I am." To change the topic he added "And
the colour on my face is called red. It's the same as my hoodie has right now."

"Can you teach me more colours?" Haechan questioned. Mark nodded tiredly and then said "Sure,
but not today. I'm tired and overwhelmed and I need a break. Would you be so kind and put on the
rest of your clothes?"

Haechan nooded. The sweatpants he put on easily but with the sweater he was struggling. Mark
sighed in resignation and helped the android out once again, pulling the fabric down over his head
until it covered all of Haechan's tan torso.

"Now please leave and feed Yoonji, she hasn't had dinner yet. Good night." he mumbled, dragging
Haechan out of his bedroom. The android, even though confused, did as requested, leaving Mark
alone in his room. The man closed and locked the door.

When he had woken up this morning he hadn't expected for all this to happen. He laid in bed,
shuffling and turning around. His mind was tired but his body wasn't. He had barely moved at all
today, leaving his body full with energy.

He groaned, sitting up again. Looking around the dark room which was only lit by the moonlight
he saw how messy his surroundings had become. Sighing, he stood up and trailed around,
randomly picking stuff off the ground.

He halted when he found Haechan's old clothes, folded neatly next to Mark's messy pile of clothes.
Out of curiosity, he picked them up. Haechan's jeans he threw onto the pile of clothes to be washed.
For the sweater however he took a closer look, squinting as he could barely see in the dark.

On the back of the sweater, just under the collar, a small 'Nct' was engraved. Mark couldn't help
but grin as he remembered the pen with which he had signed his contract. It was the exact same
logo.

Now as he held the fabric so close to his face, he could smell a faint scent. He was irritated
because he didn't remember Haechan ever having any sort of smell. If anything the android would
probably smell like metal which he didn't. Now thinking about it, Mark realised once again how
much of a good job Kun and Yangyang had done. He wondered how they did it. How they made
his skin so realistic, how they filled his eyes with life, hell they even gave him a dick.

Deep in thoughts, Mark sat back down on the bed, still holding the fabric of Haechan's sweater in
his hand. He fell back down and closed his eyes. Haechan's face was before his eyelids and Mark
in his imagination let the boy have his different facial expressions. His smile which still looked
forced and incredibly funny. His confused look, head tilted with big, glossy eyes. Jesus, those eyes.

They were the scariest part of Haechan, Mark felt like. Not because they made him intimidating
because that wasn't the case whatsoever. But they made him human, so incredibly human that
when Mark would look at them he saw a human. A weird, innocent human which Mark felt he
wanted to protect. The way Haechan's eyes could hold stars in them just wasn't possible for an
android.

Those eyes followed Mark into his dreams, leaving him to see them throughout his dreams. You
can imagine, it wasn't a very good rest for him and the next morning he felt as if he had barely slept
at all.

To his misery when he exited his room, Haechan was already awake. Mark didn't bother to wish
him a good morning and immediately went straight to the bathroom. He did his business and
shaved his stubbles before heading straight to the kitchen and drinking not one but two cups of
coffee.

"I don't think so much coffee is good for you." Haechan noted.

"Shut up! Don't talk for the next hour. I just had the worst night of my life." Mark replied, lashing
out. He knew it wasn't Haechan's fault but he couldn't help it.

The android nodded and indeed stayed muted for the next hour or so. He only resided back on the
couch, watching some more videos and playing around with Yoonji. Mark watched them from the
kitchen, his eyes glued on Haechan. His hazel brown hair was slightly disheveled and Mark
doubted he had brushed it more than twice. Not that there was much need to, it looked good when
it was messy.

His eyes now went to Yoonji. She seemed quite lively today, maybe her meeting up with Renjun
had shaken her up a little. Thinking of Renjun, Mark still was processing the fact that he was a
hybrid.

"Yoonji baby, come here." he called for her. She escaped out of Haechan's arms and strolled over
to her owner who greeted her by stroking her head. She purred into his hand. Mark picked her up,
feeling Haechan's eyes on him.

"I'll go bathe her. I'd suggest you take a shower after as well." he said to the android who tilted his
head. He was wearing the look of confusion with his big eyes which had kept Mark awake last
night. Now however the man just shook it off and carried Yoonji into the bathroom. The cat
seemed to understand what was about to happen as she became more restless and clawed into
Mark's shoulder. The man cursed under his breath but sat Yoonji down into the sink. She was just
small enough to fit.

"Sorry baby but I have to. You start shedding all over the furniture and I am tired of cleaning
everything up after you." he told the cat as if she would understand him. She meowed loudly to
express her unhappiness with the situation but Mark ignored her. He washed and cleaned her fur,
giving her a massage which seemed to ease her into the bath. The amount of hair in the water
afterwards made Mark gag. As much as he loved Yoonji, this wasn't a nice sight to see. He washed
off all the hair from the sink and dried Yoonji off. She ran out as soon as she had the chance to,
causing Mark to chuckle and run after her as her head wasn't fully dried yet.

Luckily Haechan had grabbed Yoonji, whether in foresight or in coincidence, and made it much
easier for Mark to dry the cat's head and ears properly.

"Thanks." he told Haechan who replied "No problem."

"Would you like to shower now? I think you should." Mark noted. Haechan looked up at him in
confusion and the big glossy eyes were back. Mark stared back down at him, not being able to look
away. Haechan didn't break the eye contact either and just asked "Is my body dirty?"

"I don't know and I don't want to find out. But you probably have Yoonji's hair all over you so it's
good if you wash it off." Mark explained and gulped when Haechan stood up as they were a lot
more close suddenly. He could see Haechan's pretty lashes and even the mole on his cheek.

"Your ears are red again." the android noted.

"Uh yeah.." Mark said, his throat tightening. His voice was slightly shaky so he cleared his throat
and stepped back for Haechan to pass through. Thus their eye contact was finally broken. When
Haechan had passed him and went to the bathroom, Mark sighed. What the fuck had just
happened?

"Uhm Mark?" Haechan's voice was heard. The man turned around to see Haechan in the hallway,
his body leaned against the doorframe to the bathroom. He was fiddling with his hands, looking
somewhat adorable.

"Yeah?" Mark asked, raising his eyebrows.

"How do I shower?" Haechan questioned. Mark choked on air and coughed a few times before
looking at Haechan with teary eyes.

"What?" he managed to say.

"How do I shower? I watched a video on it so I'm familiar with the process but I'm confused with
the shampoo bottles. They're not in korean." Haechan repeated.

Mark sighed in frustration. He walked into the bathroom, Haechan following suit. He pushed away
the shower curtains and leaned over the bathtub to grab the two shampoo bottles. When he turned
around he halted his movement, staring at Haechan in front of him.

The android had taken off his sweater, his torso exposed. Mark's eyes traveled over the tan skin. It
was smooth, the muscles defined but not bulked. Mark gulped as he saw Haechan's v-line. He
shook his head and promptly looked away.

"This one is to wash your body and this one is to wash your hair." he explained, holding up the
respective bottle. Haechan nodded and stepped closer, taking one of the bottles out his Mark's
hand. Mark averted his gaze to the floor, feeling flustered by their proximity.

"So I just pour it onto my hair?" the android asked.

"No, basically you pour a tiny amount of it onto your hands and rub them together. It'll make a
foam which you massage into your skull and then wash it out."

"Interesting.." Haechan commented. He swiftly took off his pants as well. Mark tried to look
everywhere but at him, feeling his ears and cheeks redden again.

"I'll leave you to it." he said quickly. Haechan hummed and Mark passed him to exit the bathroom.
Taking one look back he had almost helped out loud as he saw Haechan's naked butt. Quickly
slamming the door behind him, he cursed under his breath.

Not only was Haechan unaware of the awkwardness of a naked body but apparently he didn't even
care for Mark's reactions. Mark went to his bedroom, the image of Haechan's bareback flashing
before his eyes whenever he blinked.

Mark had to admit, Haechan's body was beautiful. Small waist, tan and smooth skin, weirdly
feminine in a way. He was pretty, very pretty. Mark usually never used that word to describe a man
but for Haechan it just fit. Also Haechan wasn't actually a man so it was fine right? He was
designed to look pretty and obviously Mark would feel himself getting nervous around him, right?

While Haechan took his shower, the human did everything to avoid not only another confrontation
but also a thought about the android's naked body. First he strolled around in his bedroom, doing
his and Haechan's laundry. Then he went to the living room, watching a movie while Yoonji
cuddled herself into his lap. However she traveled upwards, ending up on Mark's chest. The man
was now laying rather uncomfortable, his whole body down except for his head and neck.
However Yoonji seemed to have fallen asleep so he didn't want to wake her up.

He too became sleepy so he closed his eyes. A door slamming however pulled him out of his hazy
state. Haechan had probably finished showering, Mark thought. He looked down at Yoonji on his
chest and petted her head. She purred quietly, obviously enjoying the attention from her owner.

"Mark?" Haechan asked. Mark nodded to signalise that he was listening. His eyes were still on
Yoonji, giving her heart eyes.

"Could you help me put on my sweater? I'm struggling again." Haechan asked. Mark sighed and
looked up at Haechan. Seeing the view in front of him, he coughed loudly and swiftly sat up,
making Yoonji fall down into his lap. She meowed loudly in protest, however the noise faded into
the background for Mark as he was staring at Haechan.
The android's hair was still wet, water droplets dropping down from his hair to his face and torso.
Haechan's sweatpants were hanging dangerously low on his hips and his whole appearance looked
straight out of a modelling magazine.

"Mark? Are you okay?" he asked, waving his hand. Mark shook his head, freeing himself from his
daze.

"Uh yeah. Let me help you." he replied and pulled Yoonji out of his lap. He walked over to
Haechan who willingly raised his arms for Mark to pull the sweater over his head.

While pulling down the fabric, Mark's hand accidentally traced over Haechan's waist. The man's
eyes widened as he noticed how warm and soft Haechan's skin felt. However he didn't keep his
hand on the spot but made sure to remove it as quickly as possible. Suddenly he felt pretty hot and
took a step back to distance himself from Haechan.

"Is something wrong?" the android asked, his voice as innocent as ever. It felt wrong but Mark
loved his innocent voice. It was just too cute because Haechan was totally lost and had no idea of
why Mark was keeping his distances

"Nothing wrong." Mark replied, giving the android an assuring smile.

"Are you sure? You seem tense? Maybe you need a massage, the way you were laying on the
couch isn't healthy for your back. Actually it could seriously damage your back on the long term so
I'd suggest you start sitting more upwards." Haechan lectured him.

Mark hummed but didn't actually listen to what the younger was saying. His thoughts were still on
Haechan's body which for some reason he couldn't get out of his mind.

"Oh, alright. Sit down, I think I know how to massage someone. I saw a video and it had the word
massage in the title." Haechan said happily.

"What?" Mark asked in confusion as he really hadn't listened to the android rambling. However a
massage actually didn't seem all too bad so he just sat down, putting his trust into Haechan.

"Okay, turn your back to me." Haechan instructed, sitting down on the couch next to Mark. The
latter did as he was told and could immediately feel Haechan's hands on his neck and back. The
pressure was applied on the right spots, leaving Mark to feel extremely satisfied. He closed his
eyes and his mouth fell open as he felt his muscles relax.

"Do you like it?" Haechan asked, his voice just above a whisper. Mark nodded eagerly, feeling the
android's thumbs dig into his shoulder blades. He let out a groan of satisfaction, leaning his head
back a little. He could feel Haechan's breath against the back of his neck and it gave him
goosebumps.

"You're doing so good." Mark complimented.

"Thank you." Haechan replied, his hands travelling over Mark's shoulders down to his chest. Mark
opened his eyes in confusion.

"Why are you doing that?" he asked as Haechan's hands stroked over his chest, the outline of his
hands visible through Mark's shirt.

"That's how they did it in the video." Haechan explained, his voice as casual as ever. Mark
however had a suspicion and if that suspicion were to turn out true he would have to be truly
scared.
"In the video where did the hands go next?" he asked hesitantly, not really anticipating the answer.
He felt Haechan's hands move down to his waistline and cursed. He pulled the younger's hands out
of his shirt and mumbled "Oh fuck."

"Why? Did I do something wrong?" Haechan asked, looking at Mark with puppy eyes. The man
couldn't keep eye contact so he looked down into his crotch.

"No, no! Don't worry! I guess I'll be paying more attention to what you're watching now." he
replied. Haechan opened his mouth to say something but the two got distracted by a knock on the
door.
 Chapter 7

"Hello?" Mark questioned.

"It's me, Taeyong." a reply from the other side of the door was heard. Mark opened and indeed a
quite tired looking Taeyong was standing at the door. Mark let the older man in and took a quick
breath from the fresh air outside to clear his mind.

"I hope I'm not interrupting?" Taeyong questioned. Mark shook his head which made the man sigh
in relief.

"Why are you here?" Mark questioned, offering Taeyong a seat at the table. Taeyong took it with a
polite 'thank you' before cocking his head into Haechan's direction.

"I'm just once again checking up on him? Have you made any progress yet?" he asked.

"I did. I might as well show you. Haechan, come here!" Mark shouted through the room and
Haechan obeyed, joining the two at the table. Taeyong eyed him up and down and smirked. A
weird feeling spread through Mark's gut. He didn't know what it was, not why it was happening but
he didn't like it.

"Haechan, isn't it?" Taeyong questioned.

"Yes, that's correct. What's your name?" the android replied politely. Taeyong seemed impressed,
judging by his facial expression.

"My name is Lee Taeyong. You will work for me later, so I thought we should be getting to know
each other a little." Taeyong explained.

Mark's heart suddenly sank into his stomach. While all that time he had obviously known that
Haechan was a tool for Taeyong and his mafia, he always pushed that thought to the back of his
mind. Admittedly he had grown fond of the android, despite him annoying Mark a lot. So being
once again remembered that Haechan was not more than a tool, a weapon, didn't feel all too nice.

"Oh really? But I'm currently working for Mark. That won't be a problem, will it?" Haechan
questioned. Taeyong shook his head and answered "Not at all! Actually Mark is preparing you for
the work that you will do for me. Isn't that nice of him?"

"Very!" Haechan agreed "But he's always pretty nice. Of course, he will be annoyed with me
sometimes but that's human nature, isn't it?"

"Yes, of course. I hope he treats you well." Taeyong remarked. Haechan nodded eagerly, a few of
his strands falling into his face. Mark removed them, almost automatically, as he had learned that
Haechan often wasn't aware of it.

Taeyong gave him a side eye and Mark quickly pulled back, looking into his lap. He felt weirdly
exposed to Taeyong as if he had just done something criminal. The older man didn't comment, only
continued his conversation.

"Tell me, do you know what a gun is?" he asked.

"Yes, Mark had one. He always takes it with him when he goes out." Haechan confirmed.
Taeyong's head turned to Mark once again, an eyebrow raised.
"Is that so?" he asked. Mark gulped and nodded.

"Okay, Haechan, I would like for Mark to teach you how to handle it. Can you make sure that
happens?" Taeyong asked the android who agreed. Mark frowned. Why wasn't Taeyong just telling
him that? Why did he have to tell Haechan directly? To Mark's belief, Haechan wasn't ready yet to
handle a gun.

"Thanks a lot, Haechan!" the older male smiled.

"You're welcome! Mark is the best teacher to me! He showed me how to feed his cat and to make
his coffee. He even showed me how to shower and change myself!" the android revealed much to
Mark's dislike.

"Oh does he? You didn't fluster him, did you?" Taeyong asked, obviously interested in what
Haechan had to say.

"I did. I made him embarrassed but he forgave me. He said I should put my clothes on quickly." the
younger stated.

"Interesting..." Taeyong trailed off, once again looking at Mark.

After their conversation had finished and Haechan had resided back on the couch, Taeyong pulled
Mark to the side. He handed him a mysterious small package. Mark took it, hesitantly as he didn't
know what its content was.

"You like him, eh?" Taeyong asked.

"Haechan?" Mark mumbled, already knowing that Taeyong was talking about the android. Indeed
the older hummed.

"Yeah, I do. He's still very innocent." Mark pointed out.

"I could tell. You need to start teaching him why he's with you. He's not just a roommate who
makes your coffee in the morning, you know that right?" Taeyong said.

Mark hummed and replied "I know, but he's still in the process of learning everything." He knew it
was a lame excuse. If he had wanted to he could've taught Haechan how to handle a gun on the
third day but something about the android felt too innocent to be destroyed by the violence a gun
brought with it.

"Don't grow attached, Mark. I know he might seem like a human but he isn't. In the end his job is
to do the dirty work of a mafia. If I wanted a nice little roommate, I would ask Jaehyun." Taeyong
warned him.

Mark gulped and nodded. To change the topic he said "I can't imagine Jaehyun being a nice
roommate."

Taeyong raised his eyebrows. Mark's attempt at steering the conversation into another direction
didn't go unnoticed.

However Taeyong accepted it and replied "I wouldn't know. He refuses to ever sleep with someone
else in the room, even if we're alone. Quite sad, honestly."

"I thought he's your right hand. Doesn't he trust you?" Mark inquired, glad that the topic had
changed.
"He does, he trusts me with his life and I do the same. My best guess is that it's too intimate for
him to let someone else see him asleep." Taeyong told Mark. The latter nodded, being somehow
able to relate. He himself also didn't like sleeping with other people in the room.

"Well, I hope one day you will get to see him sleep." Mark noted. A blush spread across Taeyong's
cheeks as he said "You're making it sound weird."

"It's only weird if you make it weird." the younger shrugged.

He had a slight suspicion that Taeyong did like Jaehyun a little more than conventionally accepted
for mafia boss and his right hand, however he didn't feel like getting involved in someone's love
life, especially not if that someone was Lee Taeyong. Despite him not looking very dangerous right
now, leaning against Mark's door frame casually, the younger knew that if Taeyong wanted, he
could have Mark dead in three minutes without even having to pull the trigger himself.

"Anyway, I'll be going now. In the package is a gun and your money for this week. I hope that by
next week, I'll get to see some more processes." the older man said. Mark nodded and they bid
their goodbyes before Taeyong finally left the apartment.

"Mark-hyung?" Haechan shouted from the living room. Mark groaned and turned around. Haechan
was sitting on the couch, holding up one of Yoonji's water bowls.

"What is it?" Mark asked and added "Also don't call me Hyung please, I told you that already."

"But why not? Jeno and Jaemin also called you Hyung." Haechan noted.

"But they are my close friends." Mark said and sat down on the couch, Yoonji jumping onto his
lap.

"And I am not?" Haechan questioned with his big, glossy eyes. Due to the sun shining right into
them, they looked like pools of honey and Mark felt like he could get lost in them.

Pulling himself out of his mini-trance he thought of a way to explain to Haechan that he didn't like
being called Hyung by him because it would feel as if Haechan was actually his friend and not an
android that he was supposed to turn into a killing machine.

"We are not that close yet, alright? Now why did you call me?" he said coolly. Haechan's frown
immediately made him feel bad and he already wanted to apologise but then Haechan spoke "I was
wondering what this colour is?"

He pointed at one of the colours on Yoonji's water bowl. Mark chuckled and stood up, Yoonji
protesting. Mark however ignored her and set up the camera. He hadn't been filming much so he
decided that teaching Haechan a few colours would probably be a good choice.

"This here is purple. You get it when you mix red and blue. Purple is usually associated with
royalty and nobility. It's a nice colour, a lot of people liked it."

"Oh that's purple? In my data bank it states that purple is also the fandom colour of the fandom for
a band called BTS." Haechan said, his voice switching to his monotonous tone as he was reading
information off his database.

"Is that so? I only used to listen to them when I was really young. My parents were fans of them but
they're all dead by now, I'm sure." Mark replied. Haechan stayed still for a second, obviously
adding Mark's information into his data bank.
So it went on for a while. Afternoon passed and while Haechan was once again watching videos,
now on history and climate change, Mark decided to finally open Taeyong's package. It included
one million Won and a gun which Mark assumed was for Haechan. He brought the gun into his
bedroom, locking it away with his own. Then he took out the money and stared at it. He hadn't
seen that much cash in a hot minute and somehow felt like spending it.

"Haechan, I'll go out for a bit. Shouldn't take me long. Do you think you can stay here and not do
anything stupid?" he asked the android who nodded and then went back to his video.

And so Mark left the apartment, having a good amount of money with him. He debated on what to
buy. They still had enough food but Mark was currently craving some alcohol. He hadn't been
drinking ever since that day he got drunk with Jeno and Jaemin. And after all this teaching he
deserved a little reward.

There was one liquor store nearby, just a few streets from here. Mark went there and got a bottle of
Vodka. Yes, it was hard alcohol but Mark wasn't a light weight and could handle it pretty well. At
least so he thought. On his way back he took a few sips but didn't get to drink any further as
suddenly someone shoved him to the side of the alley. He yelped, his hand automatically going to
his gun. Except it wasn't there. He cursed out loudly as he realised he hadn't taken out his own gun
when he locked the gun for Haechan away.

Looking up he saw a homeless man. He had probably seen the bottle in Mark's hands and wanted
it. Mark rose up to his feet but the man immediately gave him a hard punch to the cheek, making
him fall back down. He cursed, his sight blurred due to the pain and alcohol as well.

However his muscle memory remembered all the lessons of martial arts his parents made him take
as a kid. Automatically, he extended his leg and made the man fall over it. He tripped and fell onto
Mark, the latter yelping. The man however didn't seem to care that he was basically laying on
Mark's body and pulled out his knife. Mumbling under his breath, he dragged the knife over the
skin of Mark's collar bone, the latter hissing in pain.

Obviously the homeless man wasn't sane nor aware of what he was doing as not only the bottle
which had been his main goal stayed untouched but also he whispered "Fresh meat." over and over
again. He gave Mark one last punch to his cheek before the young male decided it was enough and
pushed his leg up, making it meet the man's crotch in a painful way. The man hissed in pain and
rolled to the side, giving Mark the opportunity to finally raise himself off the ground.

Without thinking much he grabbed the bottle and ran out the alley, ignoring the pain in his cheeks,
jaw and neck. He quickly walked back to his apartment, trying his best to not show he was in pain
or wounded. If others saw he would only become more vulnerable than he was already. The bottle
hidden underneath his jacket, he finally reached his apartment. He knocked on the door, shouting
for Haechan to let him in.

The door opened a few seconds later. Haechan looked at Mark first in confusion and then in worry
when the android's eyes fell onto Mark's wounds. He gasped and pulled Mark into the apartment,
throwing the door shut behind them.

Mark's eyes were blurred and the adrenaline made him feel immune to the pain for now so he tried
his best to focus. He took off his jacket and put the bottle onto the dining table before Haechan
pulled him to the couch. Just now Mark realised that the android was just in boxers. He had
probably been in the process of changing when Mark had knocked against the door.

"Get the first aid box out of the bathroom. It's red and has a white cross on it." he instructed.
Haechan nodded and ran into the bathroom.
Despite Mark's obvious problems, the alcohol in his blood did do his job. Mark's mind felt clouded
when he saw Haechan's perfect body in front of him, his smooth and tan skin on full display. He
couldn't help but wonder how it would feel under the touch of his fingers. If Haechan would allow
for Mark to touch him this way. He felt a heat rushing into his lower stomach area and clenched
his jaw.

Embarrassment coloured his ears in a deep red as he looked down into his crotch. Sadly the
tightness in his jeans wasn't just imagination but painfully real. Mark leaned over and laid his
hands into his lap, trying to conceal his boner. Haechan being just in underwear shouldn't be
turning him on, it was a robot of fuck's sake. But Mark's body didn't seem to care.

The man held his breath as Haechan came back and sat down next to him. His tan skin was
beautifully lit by the setting sun, creating the illusion of a golden glow around Haechan's body. He
had a defined chest, no chest hair and smooth skin. Mark's tongue swept over his dry lips in an
attempt to moisturise them as his gaze traveled down Haechan's torso.

"Mark? Are you okay?" the latter asked, sounding worried. Mark looked up at the android's face,
feeling caught and put into the spotlight. He prayed that the android would have no idea of the
meaning of his gaze as that would only make their situation more awkward.

"Sorry. I'm fine." Mark replied and shook his head in an attempt to get rid of his intrusive thoughts.
He took the box out of Haechan's lap and opened it. He searched for the cleaning solution and
found it. He opened the bottle and took a tissue. He spilled a bit of the liquid onto the tissue until it
was wet enough. Holding his breath he carefully dabbed it onto the bleeding wound. Hissing
through his teeth, he cleaned out the wound. Haechan watched him curiously and held the old
tissues Mark had drenched with the dirt and blood. It wasn't much but to Haechan who had never
bled it must have looked a lot.

"Is that blood?" the android asked. Mark nodded and finally ended his cleaning procedure. The last
pad had only been blood, meaning that no dirt was left. The man tried to look down onto the wound
but it was too high up his neck that he could see it.

"Blood isn't good, is it?" Haechan questioned again. Mark chuckled and mumbled "No, not really."
He couldn't really concentrate on giving Haechan a detailed and comprehensive answer as the
adrenaline rushing through his blood was not permanent and it would start to really hurt soon.

"Fuck, I can't see the wound. I need a mirror." he cursed and stood up. However Haechan pressed
him back down and offered his help. Mark was rather skeptical but then thought that he didn't have
any more knowledge than Haechan regarding this topic.

Suddenly he had an idea. He searched up a video on the internet from years ago on how to properly
take care of the wound. Luckily stitches weren't needed as it wasn't a deep cut, just some scratches
from the knife.

Haechan's eyes were glued to the screen, absorbing every little information the video was giving
him. After the two tried to follow along to what was shown in the video. Haechan got up and got a
towel to damp the wound which apparently would fasten the healing process and prevent scars.
Afterwards Haechan got a bandage out of the first-aid box and started wrapping the wound.

Seeing as now his adrenaline rush was coming to an end, Mark felt the pain each time Haechan
would lay the bandage over the wound. Besides that their proximity reminded Mark that he
actually had a boner which he had somehow forgotten in all the rush to treat his wound.

The bandaging process took longer than it should have as the first method of wrapping the fabric
around Mark's chest hadn't worked out. It had only covered half of the wound so Haechan tried
again, the time wrapping the bandages over Mark's shoulder.

For this however it was necessary that Haechan raised up his body a bit every time he put the fabric
over Mark's shoulder, leaving Mark with a clear view of the android's chest and torso. He couldn't
help but admire how soft the skin looked. He wanted to touch it badly to try and find out if it felt
that soft too. However, that would be weird, wouldn't it?

In his mind, next to his pain, Mark was fighting a battle with himself. In the end the alcohol
convinced him that a little touch couldn't hurt and he traced with one of his fingers down Haechan's
chest. The latter sat back down and looked at Mark in confusion.

"I feel funny," he stated.

"In what way?" Mark asked, his voice dropping.

"I don't know. It's like a tingling in my stomach." Haechan said. He raised his hand up to Mark's
which was still on his stomach.

"Is it because of my hand?" Mark questioned. He drew a little flower on the smaller's stomach
before letting it travel down farther to Haechan's waistline.

"I think so." the latter replied. His voice had become weaker and Mark could see his other hand
gripping the couch's fabric tightly. He smirked and scooted closer to the younger. His hand traveled
down Haechan's hip bone to his thigh where it started stroking it softly. The soft skin felt like
heaven under his fingers and Mark could feel his body getting hotter by the minute.

"How is that possible?" Haechan asked, stunned.

"What is?" Mark whispered, looking into his eyes.

"I can't control what I'm doing. This has never happened to me before. How are you doing this?
Did you hack into my AI?" he asked.

Mark's mouth fell open. Suddenly he realised what he was doing and removed his hand. "This is so
wrong. God, this is so wrong." he whispered and jumped up, wincing at the impact from his jump
on his wound.

"I can't do this." he cried out and stepped back from the couch. Haechan looked at him in
confusion, his eyes big and his lips in a pout. Mark laughed out loud but it wasn't a happy but a
panicked laugh. He turned away and walked into his bedroom. Quickly locking the door behind
him so Haechan couldn't enter. He slid down against the door, grunting when he felt the bandages
rub against his wound. What the fuck had just happened?
 Chapter 8

Shaking because of the pain and the overwhelming emotions he was feeling, Mark started to
hyperventilate. His heart started racing as the wound on his neck pulled him back into the painful
reality.

But despite that, Mark couldn't shake off the feeling of neediness. Haechan's slim body was still
very present in his mind, his small waist, thick thighs and defined chest. But most prominently his
eyes, those pretty big puppy eyes. The confusion, the innocence which Mark had wanted to destroy
so badly.

It was weird as Mark had never liked men in particular, never felt any kinds of attraction towards
them. But was Haechan a man? Surely he was in a man's body. It was confusing to Mark. Was he
attracted to the body, to the mind? He felt like crying but at the same time still had his boner.
Thoughts over thoughts went through his mind at a fast pace and Mark buried his head in his
hands, trying to calm down.

"Mark?" he heard a weak voice from the other side of the door. He gulped, trying desperately to
inhale air so he could answer.

"Yes Haechan?" he managed to croak out.

"I'm sorry. Are you alright?" the android questioned, his voice muffled because of the door
separating them.

"Uh yeah. I'm the one who should be sorry. Just forget that ever happened, okay?" the older
replied, now finally being able to control his breathing properly.

"But why? It felt so good..." Haechan trailed off. He was desperate too. Mark could easily tell by
his still shaky voice. However he didn't think he could look Haechan in the eyes right now, even if
he was just a robot.

"That doesn't matter. Forget it happened and never think about it again, do you understand me?
And now leave and clean up or something." Mark commanded.

"I am not your housemaid." Haechan said but Mark could hear him stepping away from the door.
The older was very confused by that comment. Not only did Haechan know the meaning of the
word 'housemaid' but he had also talked back to Mark. Something he had never done before and
neither was programmed to do.

Shrugging it off, Mark stood up. He hissed as the movement made his wound hurt but he
nevertheless went to put on another shirt and then lay down in bed. He didn't think he would fall
asleep soon as there was lots to think about but his body was so haggard that he immediately
blacked out.

The morning afterwards was one of the most awkward mornings in Mark's entire life. As he had
fallen asleep early he woke up early as well. When he left his bedroom Haechan was still 'asleep'
on the couch, his body in a very stiff position but covered by the blanket.

Mark looked at the clock on the wall and cursed when he saw that it was just before seven and
therefore Haechan would be waking up soon. Not wanting to talk with the android whatsoever,
Mark quickly made his coffee and fed Yoonji before disappearing into the bathroom.
There he looked at the mirror and gulped. His face was still bruised and after taking his shirt off,
which was a painful process, he stared at the bandaged wound. There was no blood shining through
the fabric, a good sign, however just touching it softly with his finger made Mark wince. He knew
the bandages had to be changed every day which meant that he would need Haechan's help. Great.

He brushed his teeth and shaved before unlocking the door. Taking a deep breath he exited the
bathroom and went back to the kitchen. As predicted Haechan was now awake, making himself
breakfast.

"Good morning." Mark said awkwardly. He didn't receive a reply which confused him but again he
shrugged it off and just sat down next to Haechan so they could eat breakfast together. Staring
down into his own bowl, he felt Haechan's glare on him. He wondered what the android might be
thinking now. What did his thought process even look like? Was it like a human one's which would
be worried about Mark's wounds and overthinking yesterday's situation or was it strictly robot,
analysing any- and everything? Mark didn't know but neither of those options made him feel any
better as he continued to feel Haechan's eyes on him.

"You'll have to help me change my bandages later again, okay?" Mark broke the heavy silence.

"Sure." Haechan responded shortly. Mark raised his eyebrows as he wasn't used to such a cold tone
from the android. Again this seemed too human to be a robot but Mark knew that was ridiculous.
He had to learn to not think of Haechan as a human with feelings. Hell, the android didn't even
have any. He could only analyse Mark's and everyone else's behaviour and then come to
conclusions and then behave and act based on those.

"Uhm anyway, I don't have any plans for now so if you like I can teach you some more. In the
afternoon I will meet my friends though." the human noted. Haechan hummed in agreement but
didn't say anything. Mark rubbed his temples and contemplated making himself another coffee.

He had already walked to the coffee machine when he heard Haechan's voice say "Another coffee?
It's bad for your health to consume so much caffeine."

"Thank you." Mark answered and awkwardly walked back to his seat again. He didn't know why
the vibe was suddenly off. Was it because of yesterday? It had to be. But Mark seriously didn't
know how else he would have handled the situation.

Haechan finished his breakfast as well. He seemed to really like cereal, Mark acknowledged as he
saw that the box was almost empty. His eyes went to Haechan himself who watched Yoonji toll
around. The android's eyes were crescent moons and he was wearing a small smile on his face.

Wait what? Haechan was smiling! And this time it didn't seem forced, didn't seem unnatural. Mark
was pretty sure that Haechan was unaware of the small grin that had spread on his face but he sure
as hell wouldn't say a thing. He somehow felt that if he told Haechan that he was smiling, the
android would go back to his forced smile and Mark didn't want that. Haechan looked adorable
with this smile, so sincere, innocent and young.

Mark caught himself staring at Haechan's lips and shook his head to get rid of any adoring
thoughts. His movement however had taken Haechan's focus away from Yoonji and back to Mark.
His small smile still on his lips, he looked at Mark, obviously confused.

"What is it?" he asked, his voice somewhere between confusion and sass. Mark's eyes widened. He
was impressed with how subtle the sass had shown in Haechan's voice. He almost hadn't detected it
if it wasn't for the fact that Haechan spoke completely neutral most of the time and any emotions in
his voice were rare.
"Oh nothing, you just have something on your cheek." Mark lied to not feel even more awkward.
He could already feel his blood rushing into his ears.

"Could you remove it?" Haechan asked, now again in his usual monotonous voice. Mark wondered
what had changed in the last two seconds for the android to change his tone but he knew better
than to think about it now. Instead he extended his hand and brushed over Haechan's cheek,
pretending to wipe some dirt away. He noticed how pinchable his cheeks were and badly wanted to
squeeze them. However he held back and only sat back down on his seat.

"Thank you." Haechan said.

"You're welcome." Mark replied and silence spread once again as Haechan went back to watching
Yoonji and Mark went back to watching Haechan.

It was around midday when they spoke again. Haechan was now on the couch, patting Yoonji who
laid in her usual spot. Mark had planned on visiting his Jeno and Jaemin again for a while now and
he thought that Haechan was now ready to join him and see the outside for the first time.

"Haechan?" he asked. The android turned his head to Mark to show that he was paying attention,
however kept his eyes on Yoonji.

"I want to visit my friends Jeno and Jaemin, you've met them before. If you want you can join me."
the human announced.

"I would like to see Jaemin again, he was nice." Haechan replied. Mark nodded and said "Be ready
in five minutes, we'll be going by then. But please listen to what I say."

Haechan hummed and their conversation was over. Mark walked to his bedroom and got his own
gun. Guilt washed over him as he stared at the gun that was meant for Haechan to use. He
remembered Taeyong's words to not get too attached. He wouldn't. Or at least he hoped so.

When Mark came back Haechan was already waiting for him. He was wearing a jacket that Mark
had given him. It was just slightly too big and made the android look adorable. Mark internally
cooed, however didn't show on the outside how cute he found Haechan.

"Let's go. Please stay by my side the whole way, okay?" Mark requested. Haechan nodded and
Mark thought he might've seen an excited spark in his eyes. It could've just been an optical illusion
or the sun reflecting in Haechan's eyes though.

Together they exited the apartment. Mark made sure to keep Haechan close to his side always and
one of his hands was always inside his jacket, the grip around his gun. Haechan was too pretty for
his own good and Mark didn't want crazy people like the man yesterday attacking them.

The way to Jaemin's and Jeno's store went relatively smoothly. To make his life easier, Mark had
simply taken Haechan's hand. It was smaller than his own and fit perfectly. Mark couldn't help but
coo at the way Haechan was staring at everything with big eyes. More than once, probably even
more than ten times he pointed at something unknown to him and asked Mark to explain. The
latter did without hesitation, he wanted Haechan to learn.

They arrived at the store. Mark peaked through the windows and saw a man currently talking with
Jeno at the counter. The man was missing an arm, Mark noticed. He saw another arm, a prosthetic,
laying on the counter. Concluding that the man was in process of paying, apparently for his arm,
Mark decided they should wait until the store was empty.

So in the meantime he explained to Haechan how the flying cars worked. Or he tried to as he
himself didn't know that well either. Haechan seemed to be fascinated by them and always pointed
at them when they were flying above them.

Finally the man exited the store and Mark pulled Haechan into his building. Jeno, who was
currently noting something down, looked up and a smile spread over his lips.

"Welcome you two!" he exclaimed and happily walked towards the two. Mark let go of Haechan's
hand and let himself get squished by Jeno's tight hug. Jeno then proceeded to say Haechan Hello as
well, the android looking a bit lost but still happy to be included.

Due to the ruckus caused by Jeno during his greeting, Jaemin walked in from the back. Behind him
followed Renjun in his human form. Mark eyed him up and down and couldn't deny the
resemblance to a cat, from the man's way of moving to his face. Just now Mark saw that instead of
human ears, two cat ears stuck out from Renjun's head. It was a weird but very cute sight, Mark
had to admit.

"Hello Mark-hyung! Haechan, nice to see you again!" Jaemin shouted and ran up to them. He first
engulfed Mark and then Haechan in a hug. The latter just stood still until Mark advised "You better
hug him back. He won't let go until you do." And so Haechan awkwardly put his arms around
Jaemin who giggled and let go of Haechan a few seconds later.

"Oh, it's you again." Renjun commented, looking at Mark. The man raised his eyebrows and
mumbled "Nice to see you too."

"Don't mind him, he is a bit grumpy ever since Jeno told him he was annoying in his car form this
morning." Jaemin laughed, patting Renjun's back. The hybrid groaned but let Jaemin do whatever.
Nobody escaped Jaemin's skinship.

Mark's eyes went to Jeno, expecting to see jealousy. However to his surprise the man was just
looking at his boyfriend and Renjun with heart eyes, causing Mark to internally roll his eyes. Jeno
was so in love, it was honestly disgusting to watch.

"You look cute." Haechan told Renjun. The cat boy, how Mark called him in his mind, turned his
head to look at Haechan. He tilted his head and eyes the android up and down.

"Something is weird about you." he commented, taking a step closer to Haechan. The latter only
kept a neutral face until his eyes fell on Renjun's cat ears.

"These are the same ears as Yoonji has." Haechan stated innocently.

"Yeah no shit, maybe it's because I'm a hybrid." Renjun replied, rolling his eyes.

"What's shit? And what's a hybrid?" Haechan questioned. Renjun gave him a look and murmured
"What a weirdo." under his breath. Mark let out a chuckle because Renjun was right. Haechan was
indeed a weirdo.

While Jaemin babied Haechan, explaining to him several items around the store, Mark caught up
with Jeno. The latter told Mark that Renjun was now living with them. Since they had a spare room
and Renjun slept in his cat form most nights, space wasn't a struggle. The hybrid just stood with
them and listened to Jeno, occasionally adding his own sassy comments. Mark grinned at him,
amused by Renjun's humour.

"I saw you holding hands with Haechan when you came in. I assume you're close now?" Jeno
questioned. Mark opened his mouth to reply but suddenly got a flashback from last night. He
blushed at the memory and cleared his throat to answer "Uh yeah, I guess so. He has become a bit
sassy though. I didn't even know he had a personality."

"Oh wow." Jeno said, obviously impressed. He gave Haechan a quick look.

"What do you mean you didn't know he had a personality?" Renjun asked.

"Oh nothing." Mark answered dismissively. He didn't need Renjun to know that Haechan was an
android. That was if Jeno and Jaemin hadn't already told him which didn't seem to be the case.

After chatting for a while, a customer came in. Renjun immediately went to the back rooms upon
their arrival. Obviously he wanted to keep his identity hidden. Mark wondered whether maybe
Renjun was a criminal too. It wouldn't be a surprise, many hybrids were criminals by law because
they had rebelled against the government.

While Jeno and Jaemin talked with the customer, Mark and Haechan had resided on the side line.
Haechan was currently staring at one of Jeno's plants.

"You better not touch it, it might be toxic." Mark advised him.

"Yeah, I know. Jaemin told me." Haechan said, turning to Mark. They stood pretty close and once
again Mark admired Haechan's pretty face. His long eyelashes and boba pearl looking eyes that
held the stars in them. Haechan just kept their eye contact, a small smile on his lips.

"Is everything okay again between us?" the android suddenly asked.

Being caught off guard by the question Mark replied "Of course! Why wouldn't it be?"

"Oh, because of yesterday. You know..." Haechan trailed off. Mark nodded and said "No worries,
it's all good." The android nodded and looked to the side. Mark stared at his side profile, the cute
nose and rosy cheeks. God, Haechan was pretty.

After a while, they said goodbye to Jeno and Jaemin as the store got more busy. Mark knew that
the closer it got to night, the fuller the store would be so he just said his friends goodbye before
leaving the building. Haechan was by his side and took Mark's hand. The latter was surprised by
the action but accepted it. It was better to stay safe.

They made a quick stop at the grocery store and bought some necessities and goodies for Haechan
before returning to the apartment. The whole time Haechan wouldn't let go of Mark's hand but the
older wouldn't complain. He liked the feeling of Haechan's small, warm hand in his own.

Upon their return, Yoonji loudly meowed. She demanded to be fed even though it was not time yet.
Mark allowed for Haechan to feed her regardless and prepared dinner for the two of them.
Haechan came to help and Mark found himself to be happy about it. It turned out Haechan
possessed more cooking skills than he did and so the food was delicious. Afterwards Mark wanted
to watch a movie and allowed for the android to join him.

The movie was a typical american movie. Something bad happened and an average white man had
to save the world while hooking up with countless girls in the process. Nothing out of the ordinary.
However for Haechan it seemed to be very interesting as he stared at the TV-screen in fascination.
Mark leaned back, his focus now being on the android instead of the movie.

Haechan was wearing a T-shirt. Because he was smaller than Mark, the latter had given him his
smallest shirt. That however was too small for Haechan as well so the fabric was tight around the
android's torso. Mark could easily make out his back muscles. With a finger he trailed over
Haechan's spine. The android gave him a quick look but returned his attention to the movie shortly
after.

He leaned back and into Mark's arm. A tingling sensation went through the older's stomach as
Haechan cuddled into his side. He hadn't expected this neither knew how to act now. He didn't
want to disturb the android either as he was obviously still focused on the movie.

Feeling all of Haechan's warm breaths on his chest and his hand on Mark's thigh felt weird. Mark
wasn't the type for skin ship nor did he have anyone to do it with. So for him the whole situation
was weird but somewhat satisfying. He liked the way Haechan was cuddled into his side, liked the
way they were so close without being awkward. It felt intimate and Mark liked it.

After the movie finished, Haechan raised his head and checked the clock on the wall. It was almost
his sleeping time.

"I'll go wash up, you can go after me." he informed Mark who nodded and watched Haechan's slim
figure disappear into the bathroom.

After he exited again Mark went in but wished Haechan a good night before. He knew the android
couldn't have good or bad nights as he literally went into sleep mode but it felt right to say it.

Mark washed up and then went to bed. He stole one last glance at Haechan from the hallway and
saw the android covering himself with his blanket. Mark smiled to himself and then walked into
his own bedroom.

"Haechan, you're too cute for your own good." he whispered to himself as he changed and crawled
into his bed. He fell asleep imagining Haechan being cuddled into his side again as the feeling had
been way too comfortable to just let it go like that.
 Chapter 9

And just like that watching movies together had become a routine. To Mark it was just more
entertainment and distraction from his problems regarding Haechan. For the latter it was another
way to learn about the world and how the beings in it interacted.

So as the days passed by it was only natural for Haechan to ask Mark what movie they would be
watching at night. A question which Mark replied to the same every time. He would always say
"Whichever movie you like, Haechan." And in response Haechan would clap his hands in
excitement and take a while to think about which movie to choose. The human found this rather
cute and always awaited the android's question just to see his excitement when Mark responded the
same thing over and over.

This day was no different than any other except that it was the one month anniversary of Haechan
living with Mark. The human had only noticed it because his camera reminded him of his monthly
back up which led to Mark skipping through all the videos he had taken of Haechan and himself in
the past month. He giggled as he watched the first videos where Haechan was still clueless and
asked Mark about every vocabulary. Now Haechan only did that when they saw something super
interesting when going out which was now a usual thing.

Mark took Haechan on walks, took him to Jaemin and Jeno, took him to the dumpsters, and
explained to him the world. And Haechan learned quickly. He also hadn't failed to notice that
whenever they would go out, Mark would take his gun with them. The man knew Haechan wanted
to ask about it but held back which confused Mark. Why would Haechan hold back on a question?
Especially since the android had proven himself to be quite curious and witty, always ready to
comment on something with just the right amount of sass. Something that had Mark laughing more
than once.

Just like now where Haechan had snapped at Yoonji for spreading her fur all over the couch once
again, leaving either himself or Mark to clean up. Yoonji only meowed annoyedly and escaped into
Mark's bedroom.

"It's okay, I'll clean up." Mark told Haechan "You chose whatever movie you like, okay? It's quite
late already." Indeed it was, the sun was already setting. The rays of light painted the foggy sky in
a breathtaking transition from orange to pink which made Mark's apartment look very warm and
cozy.

As usual Haechan clapped his hands in excitement and went through the movies available. He
knew Mark didn't care so he chose whatever caught his eye. After Mark had wiped the couch clean
of cat hairs Haechan was already ready. He had taken his blanket and spread it over his lap,
obviously waiting for Mark to join him. The latter sat down and took a corner of the blanket to pull
it over his own lap. He gave Haechan a curt nod and the android let the movie play.

It wasn't really interesting for Mark as the story was a love story. The two main characters fell in
love but weren't allowed to be together, very Romeo and Juliet like, Mark thought.

Halfway through the movie, Haechan had cuddled into Mark's side once again, the couple ended
up sneaking out into the woods. Mark could tell that the movie was building up to a sex scene and
he wasn't sure whether he wanted Haechan to watch it. In the end he decided to just let it play since
if any confusion arose from Haechan's side Mark would just explain how sex worked which he
knew the android didn't know yet. To his surprise Haechan didn't question anything, however his
eyes were glued to the screen. Mark could feel heat radiating off him and he himself felt quite hot
as he watched the couple on the screen make out, both characters letting out lewd moans.

Mark could feel Haechan shifting next to him slightly. He held the smaller's thigh to keep him still;
however he could hear Haechan hold in his breath.

"Is something wrong?" Mark asked him lowly. He knew what was going on but he didn't want to
directly speak up about it so he had to ask like this.

"I have butterflies in my stomach again." Haechan whispered back, his hand grabbing Mark's under
the blanket.

"Is that so?" Mark questioned and let his thumb stroke over the bare skin of Haechan's leg as the
android was only wearing shorts and an oversized shirt of Mark's.

"Mhm." he whimpered and buried his head in Mark's shoulder as the latter let his hand travel
farther into his crotch. It didn't take much guessing to know that Haechan had a boner, another
unknown feature which Mark smirked at. He felt Haechan's hands grab his sweater and Mark's
hand hovered over the smaller's crotch. He wasn't touching it but the heat of his hand was enough
for Haechan to feel it.

"Please." Haechan begged. Mark took his free hand and tugged at Haechan's hair to make him look
at the man. He could see the android's glossy eyes which were pleading for Mark to take action. It
was the same look that Haechan had a while back when this had happened the first time. With his
finger Mark traced over Haechan's lips. He wanted to taste them so badly, wanted to bruise them
and wanted for his tongue to explore Haechan's mouth.

To control himself he grabbed into the fabric of Haechan's pants. His hands was a only a mere inch
away from the android's boner and Mark could hear Haechan hiss. The smaller jerked his hips up,
causing Mark's hand to rub against his dick. Mark watched as Haechan's mouth fell open and he let
out a small whimper.

Suddenly a loud sound made both of them jump. Their heads turned to the TV where one of the
main characters had just slammed a car door. Mark blinked a few times, feeling disoriented as he
had completely forgotten about the movie. His eyes went back to Haechan who looked surprised
but still needy with his flushed cheeks and glossy eyes. Knowing that if he stayed next to the
smaller male just another minute he would lose it, Mark rose to his feet. He ignored Haechan's yelp
and walked into his room. Yoonji obviously didn't want to stay with him as she escaped out the
door before Mark threw it shut and locked it behind him.

The image of the needy Haechan and his small whines had imprinted into Mark's brain. He didn't
have to look down to know he had a boner himself. He rolled his eyes and groaned in frustration.

It felt wrong, so incredibly wrong. But the young man couldn't stop himself. Still leaning against
the door, his hands traveled to his crotch. He didn't want to but his body needed friction to satisfy
itself. Mark tried rubbing his shoulder against the door so the pain from his still healing wound
would distract him from his boner but it didn't work. The only thing Mark was feeling right now
was neediness and his throbbing dick against his pants.

Biting his lower lip, Mark started palming himself through the fabric. The image of Haechan's big
eyes flashing before his closed eyelids. Mark wondered if Haechan would have those exact same
eyes if he would suck on the man's dick. He could almost feel Haechan's throat around his erection,
swallowing him. A sudden tingling in his stomach announced that his body was already yearning
for the relieving orgasm.
"Fuck Haechan!" he moaned quietly. He opened his zipper and wrapped his hand around his dick.
Without hesitation he stroked it, imagining it was Haechan's plump lips and not his own hand
around his boner.

He could hear Haechan's faint moans in his ears, feel his hot breath fanning over his lower
stomach, that's how deep Mark was lost imagination. He threw his head back, staring at the ceiling
as his sight blurred. His hips automatically jerked against his hand and he fastened his pace. His
pre-cum felt like Haechan's saliva, his hand like Haechan's mouth. A heat overcame him so he
ripped off his shirt, exposing his hot skin to the fresh air around. A shiver went down his spine as
the bliss he had been working towards came closer.

"Ugh Haechan!" he moaned out loud, not caring that he could be heard from the other side of the
door. Again he felt like he could hear the smaller's whimpers and moans which finally sent him
over the edge. He let out a last low groan before coming over his own hand. His body slid down
the door, not being able to hold the man up anymore.

Totally out of breath, Mark closed his eyes and let his head fall back down. A thin layer of sweat
made his chest shine in the moonlight but Mark couldn't see it as he still had his eye closed,
heavily breathing.

"Holy shit." he whispered to himself. Stretching across to his night stand he grabbed a tissue and
wiped his hands clean, scrunching his nose in disgust at his own cum.

He threw the tissue away and groaned as his whole body felt sore. Best would probably be to take a
shower which would clean off the sweat as well but Mark wasn't really sure if he had the courage
to walk out of his room right now.

No matter which option he chose he was fucked. He knew he needed that shower even if it was just
for hygienic reasons. But what if Haechan had heard him. He must have, Mark hadn't made any
efforts to stay quiet.

In the end he decided to just go. He knew there was no need to be embarrassed, Haechan was just a
robot in the end. It felt kind of weird though, knowing he had just jacked off to the image of an
android. But this wasn't just a random android, it was Haechan.

Careful to not make too much noise, Mark opened the door. He almost screamed out loud when he
saw Haechan leaning against the wall just a few meters away from his door. The android was on
the floor, his eyes closed. He was only wearing his boxers and seemed to be out of it. Mark walked
towards him and could immediately pick up a smell. It wasn't just any smell, it was the smell of
sex.

Embarrassed, Mark averted his gaze from Haechan's body as he realised he hadn't been the only
one masturbating. The smaller's whole body seemed limp. Mark tapped him without directly
looking at him. Haechan whimpered and quietly mumbled "Felt so good."

Seeing as Haechan wouldn't get up any time soon, Mark sighed and picked him up. He wasn't as
heavy as Mark expected and also immediately held onto the older until Mark had laid him down
onto the couch. To cover his body, Mark threw a blanket over the smaller and also stroked his
messy hair. He knew he couldn't look much better himself but damn, this look was quite something
on Haechan.

Speaking of the android, he blinked a few times and looked up at Mark with hooded eyes. The
older made a 'shh' noise and smiled at Haechan. The latter smiled back tiredly and then closed his
eyes once again. Mark decided to leave it at that and finally take his shower.
Afterwards he immediately went to bed, barely being able to hold up his body anymore. This
whole thing had completely taken him out and so he fell asleep within a matter of seconds.

In the morning the man woke up early due to Yoonji scratching against his door. He blinked tiredly
before getting out of bed. Opening his door he saw Yoonji sitting at the threshold, obviously
waiting to be fed.

"Shit, we didn't feed you yesterday." Mark cursed under his breath and walked into the living
room. Haechan was still on the couch like Mark had left him, just with the exception that the
blanket wasn't covering him anymore. Mark would think that Haechan had straddled it off while
sleeping but due to the android's 'deep sleep' that was pretty much impossible.

However, seeing as the blanket wasn't covering his body anymore, Haechan was pretty much
exposed. Mark tried to not look at the android too much while feeding Yoonji but he couldn't resist
staring once or twice. The android just had such a nice body, thick thighs, defined chest and
stomach and all on display for Mark to see in the dim light of the rising sun.

Seeing as it was just after six, Mark knew he still had a bit of time for himself. He walked into the
kitchen, Yoonji trailing behind him. He made his coffee and took a few sips, his eyes accidentally
scanning Haechan a few times up and down. What about the android was it that Mark could just
not take his eyes off him? It drove the man crazy and he felt somewhat caged in the small kitchen.

He needed to get out so he threw on some clothes, got his gun and exited his apartment, leaving
Haechan a note in case he wouldn't return before the android woke up.

The fresh air cleared his mind. The streets weren't all too full seeing as it was still early. Almost
automatically Mark's feet led him to the market space. He admittedly hadn't been here in a while,
seeing that he didn't need to sell trash anymore to cover his income.

In opposite to the streets, the market was quite lively already. While the bars were now letting go
their last customers, the first stores and stands were already opening up and got ready for the daily
business. Mark greeted a few of the owners he knew before checking at Johnny's store.

Indeed the tall man was already there, obviously tired though. However as soon as he saw Mark his
face lit up and he gave the younger male a welcoming and warm smile.

"Hello, I missed you. Where have you been?" he asked, making Mark instantly feel guilty once
again for 'abandoning' Johnny.

"I was just really busy, you know." he replied and yawned. Johnny followed his example and
yawned as well. He let Mark take a seat and asked "Tell me, how have you been? You look pretty
damn tired, I must say."

Mark hummed. He looked tired because that's how he felt. He contemplated telling Johnny about
the reason and seeing as the man was already looking at him with anticipation he chuckled and
started to explain.

"I am kind of troubled. I have to work with this guy but he is pretty, uhm, weird." he said, trying to
make clear Haechan wasn't normal without exposing the boy's identity as an android. Johnny
nodded, signalling for Mark to go on.

"And recently there has been this tension between us. You know, I'm not usually attracted to guys
but my hormones got the best of me and yea.." Mark trailed off. He feared of Johnny's reaction,
scared that the man would judge him but as he looked up he only saw curiousness in Johnny's eyes.
Relived by the reaction, Mark continued "Anyway, I think he kind of caught me doing it, you
know... So now I want to avoid him really badly for obvious reasons but we still have to stay
together because of work and it's just super weird and awkward on my side."

"What about him? Has he said anything?" Johnny questioned. Mark shook his head and Johnny
gave him a grin "Maybe he returns your feelings, you know?"

"Oh no!" Mark exclaimed "You misunderstood! I don't feel anything for him, I'm just attracted.
Which is not the best thing that could happen in my situation."

"Attraction is a feeling as well though." Johnny noted and then said "All I'm saying is that maybe
he is attracted to you as well. I don't want to encourage any inappropriate behaviour at work of
course but if there is an attraction on both sides, I don't see why you two shouldn't be involved with
each other. If you know what I mean." he finished with a wink at which Mark's eyes widened.

He dwelled on Johnny's words. It was a new view on the events, a view which Mark hadn't
considered yet. Maybe Johnny had a point. To Mark's frustration there was no point in denying his
attraction towards Haechan. And from what he could see from the other, he wasn't opposed either.
But then again, this wasn't whatsoever what his job was. Mark's job was to teach Haechan, not to
fuck him.

Johnny pulled him out of his thoughts by laughing at him. The man patted Mark's shoulder and
said "You should think about it, now I got to go and continue with preparations. Feel free to stay
but you can leave as well. Either way I'm happy you paid me a visit."

"Sure thing, hyung." Mark smiled and decided it was time for him to go. He bid Johnny goodbye
and made his way back to his apartment, all while still deep in thoughts.
 Chapter 10

Upon returning home, Mark was greeted by Taeyong. The man was just sitting in his living room,
conversing with Haechan when Marl stepped through the door.

"Good morning Mark." Both the mafia leader and the android greeted him. The man gave them a
half heartedly smile. He was more worried than anything else about why Taeyong was here. Still
he told himself to stay cool.

"Hello Taeyong, I didn't expect you here today or so early." he said and gave the man a nod.
Taeyong looked serious. He pointed to the seat next to him and Mark sat down without
questioning it.

"I had a little chat with Haechan, Mark." Taeyong said, his voice sweeter than usual. A shiver went
down Mark's spine as he thought of all the different things Haechan could have told Taeyong while
he was gone.

"Oh, is that so? Are there any issues?" Mark asked coldly. The atmosphere was far different from
Taeyong's last visit. Mark knew Taeyong knew something was up and now he had to find out if
Taeyong also knew what that something was.

"You tell me, Mark. Are there any issues? Anything you want to tell me?" Taeyong asked and
leaned forward. He squinted his eyes just so slightly while staring at Mark, not breaking their eye
contact whatsoever. While the younger felt extremely intimidated and maybe a bit scared, he
wasn't going to back down.

"No issues from my side. I'm sure Haechan would tell you the same." he replied to Taeyong with a
quick side eye to the android who was just listening, obviously not grasping the seriousness of the
situation.

"Oh, he did." Taeyong said with a cold smile "He seems to like you quite a lot, doesn't he?"

Mark stared at him. Not only did he feel exposed but also angered by the way Taeyong was talking
about Haechan as if he was some sort of pet that couldn't understand them. He voiced those
thoughts but Taeyong interrupted him "Mark, I showed Haechan my gun."

Mark gulped, his eyes switching to Haechan. The latter seemed to have sensed Mark being tense as
he leaned his head against Mark's shoulder just like he would do when they were watching a movie
together. Mark saw Taeyong raising his eyebrows and so he lifted up his shoulder so Haechan's
head would fall off. The android seemed to get the hint as he didn't repeat his action but instead
went back to his neutral pose and facial expressions.

"Can you imagine my surprise when Haechan didn't know what the gun was neither knew how to
handle it? Can you imagine my surprise when Haechan told me you two watch movies together
and go on walks?" Taeyong asked.

'Fuck' Mark thought. He was busted and there was no way he could talk himself out of this. He had
to pray that Haechan in his sweet innocence didn't also tell Taeyong about yesterday. If the mafia
leader was to find out Mark had used Haechan for his own sexual pleasure or even the other way
around, he knew he was dead meat. And by the way Taeyong was looking at him he had expected
the worst.

"I'm sorry but I thought it was better to take it slow. I would have started teaching him sooner but
he was more unknowning than I expected and anticipated at first." he lied.

Actually pretty much the opposite was the case. Haechan was way smarter than he had thought at
first. Sure, the first days were tiring but afterwards he could barely feel a difference from Haechan
to a human being.

Taeyong leaned back on his chair again and said while mustering Mark "And yet, I think Haechan
was ready to learn what he was sent here for even when I met him the last time which I may
remind you was two weeks ago."

"I will start teaching him everything now, I promise you." Mark assured Taeyong. It was a promise
he didn't know whether he could actually hold it. He didn't want to watch Haechan how to be
violent, didn't want to teach him how to murder people. Hell, he barely even acknowledged the fact
that he felt sexual attraction towards Haechan.

"I will give you two more weeks, Mark. If he is not trained by then, I don't think I will allow you to
play with him any further." Taeyong gave in, his tone obviously cold.

Mark clenched his teeth at Taeyong's word choice. Haechan wasn't a toy that he was playing with
and neither was he Taeyong's killing machine. Oh, how much he felt like giving Taeyong just a
nice punch over the table.

Suddenly he felt a small hand under the table, grabbing his own which had balled into a fist during
the conversation.. Without looking down Mark relaxed his hand and let Haechan intertwine their
fingers.

"Thank you." Mark spat at Taeyong and then sweetly asked "How is Jaehyun? Have you seen him
sleep yet?"

Mark knew that Jaehyun was obviously a weak spot of Taeyong which was why he had aimed for
it. He could see a quick shimmer of pain in Taeyong's eyes before his facial expressions hardened
again and he looked at Mark.

"Jaehyun is doing fine." the older male answered briefly before standing up. Mark had to suppress
a grin. He had obviously hit a nerve just like Taeyong had hit one of his.

"I will see you in two weeks. I gave Haechan the envelope with the money." the man said and left
the apartment without another word. As soon as the door had closed behind him Mark let out a
relieved sigh. He ran his hands through his black hair and leaned back in his chair, his whole body
relaxing.

"Everything alright?" Haechan asked.

"No, not really but don't worry about it." Mark replied, giving the smaller an assuring smile.
Haechan smiled back at Mark and the latter felt his heart swell up at the sight.

Then suddenly he remembered something that he had thought of on his way back from Johnny. He
cleared his throat, once again gaining Haechan's attention.

"I am sorry about yesterday. I shouldn't have left you like that." he spoke with a dry voice.

"It's okay. Actually I felt amazing. What was that? I remember we were watching the movie and
then the one woman ate the man's face and then suddenly it tingled in my stomach. It was a good
tingle though, not like the one when I'm hungry. And then this thing down there, I believe it's
called penis, just stood up? Quite funny. Especially when you touched me there, it felt so
amazing." Haechan told Mark, his eyes bright at the blissful memory from yesterday.

"Oh, it's..." Mark trailed off. Honestly he had no idea how to explain to Haechan. The latter had
just experienced his first masturbation and it was so bizarre Mark actually didn't have words for it.

"You see, your body needs a certain kind of attention sometimes. Sexual attention and when that
happens you get a boner which is what you described as your penis standing up." Mark tried to
explain. He cringed horribly at his own words but continued on "I know how good it must have
felt when you had your orgasm which is when the bliss is at its climax. But you should try to
minimise your need for sexual attention as much as possible. It's just not appropriate for you, for us
to have that kind of thing going on."

Haechan nodded but Mark noticed his lips pouting and his facial expressions forming a frown.
Haechan was sulky and the sight was just too adorable.

"So you're saying I'm inappropriate?" the android asked, looking at Mark. The latter sighed as their
eyes locked. He just couldn't resist those big glossy eyes.

"No, you're not inappropriate. However any sort of sexual relationship between us would be. I
know it makes you feel good but it's just not okay. Yesterday was a mistake on my side and I'll
make sure to not repeat it." Mark said. It was so contradictory to what he had initially planned to
tell Haechan but after Taeyong's visit he realised that there were boundaries which he had
overstepped quite a few times already. So as hard as it was, he had to reestablish those boundaries.
He wasn't all too sure though if he would be successful. Haechan was hard to resist.

"Okay." the smaller male next to him simply said and stood up. Mark watched him and his eyes
wandered up and down Haechan's back as he walked to the couch. He had a nice ass and his shorts
just exposed enough of his thighs.

No, this was wrong, Mark thought. He had just established the boundaries but was already
breaking them in his mind again. Haechan wasn't attractive, Haechan wasn't human. He had to
teach the android how to survive and handle a gun and that was it. That was his job, nothing more,
nothing less.

So that's what he tried to do in the next few days. Emphasis on the word 'tried' because Mark still
caught himself staring at Haechan adoringly. He still caught himself checking Haechan out and
still caught himself cooing at the android. However he never acted on any of his impulses,
reducing their usual skin ship to a minimum. He could tell how much Haechan missed it as the
android tried to cuddle Mark any chance he got but Mark always resisted and kept his distance.
Seeing the pain his rejections inflicted on Haechan in the android's eyes however made him feel
incredibly guilty.

He felt bad for the android but nevertheless stuck with his or rather Taeyong's plan. With the help
of Jaemin he explained to Haechan the gun that Taeyong had handed him. Jaemin was obviously
more helpful than Mark as he did not only own a weapon store but also had grown up around guns
as a military kid. Mark could tell both Jaemin and Haechan liked each other a lot. They hit off
instantly and due to both of them being very open and friendly they established a friendship within
just a few days.

One thing however that Mark had noticed as well was how clingy Haechan was to Jaemin. He
knew it was because Mark kept on rejecting him but seeing Jaemin and Haechan share skin ship
made the man somewhat angry, maybe even jealous.

He was currently watching as Jaemin instructed Haechan on how to position correctly while
shooting. Jeno and Renjun just stood by the side next to Mark, all three of them watching. The
younger two weren't paying as much attention as Mark though as they kept bickering around.
Renjun was quite sassy and he kept on talking back to Jeno who always responded calmly,
obviously only wanting to provoke Renjun further.

Mark didn't really bother to listen to them however he couldn't help but feel as a third-wheel to
both men who were using flirty tones while talking to each other. Mark almost wanted to remind
Jeno that he had a boyfriend but then again he wanted to say the same to Jaemin too who had
hugged Haechan from behind and showed his toothy smile while correcting the android's stance.

"Why does he need to learn that anyways? He seems too innocent to be holding a gun." Renjun
commented and nudged Mark's side. The older male was thankful to have a reason to not stare at
Haechan's and Jaemin's positioning with a frown anymore. Instead he turned his head to Renjun
who looked at him in curiosity.

"Uh, it's kind of his job." Mark answered and quickly corrected himself "Or it will be later. He
doesn't have a job at the moment."

This answer didn't seem to satisfy Renjun as the hybrid only mustered Haechan once again and
then said "He looks healthy though. I assume he still lives with you?" Mark nodded, confirming
Renjun's theory.

"I swear something about him is off. He looks so.." Renjun trailed off, searching for the right
word.

"Innocent?" Jeno chirped in, helping the other male out. Renjun nodded and gave Jeno a thankful
smile which Jeno replied with his infamous eye-smile.

Mark sighed. He hated third wheeling. He gave Jaemin and Haechan another look and gulped as he
saw their proximity. Jaemin had his hands around Haechan's waist, correcting his stance. Haechan
had his head slightly laid back, his body leaning against Jaemin's. Even though there was no sexual
intention on either side, to Mark it looked rather inappropriate.

He watched as Jaemin whispered something into Haechan's ear. The android giggled and gave
Jaemin a nudge with his elbow. Without realising Mark sighed loudly and stared at their side
profiles. He liked Jaemin a lot but right now he had the sudden urge to get the man as far away
from Haechan as possible. He wanted to be the one holding Haechan and not Jaemin. Obviously
these thoughts of jealousy were ridiculous as Jaemin had a boyfriend and Haechan was just a friend
to him but still Mark glared at his friend, wanting nothing more than to be in his place.

"Mark-hyung, are you alright?" Jeno asked, pulling the man back into reality. Mark blinked a few
times and then looked at Jeno slightly lost. Jeno's eyes went from Mark to Jaemin and Haechan and
then back to Mark. The latter could have laughed out loud as he watched his friend try to connect
the dots.

"Don't you get jealous when you see your boyfriend like this?" the older male asked Jeno.

"No, not really. I trust Jaemin and Haechan is... you know." Jeno replied, giving Mark a warm
smile.

"Haechan is what?" Renjun chirped in. Mark bit his lip and gave Jeno a look who apologetically
shrugged. Sighing in frustration Mark looked at Renjun and said "Nothing. It's just a thing between
us, don't mind it."
"Mhm." Renjun hummed and then casually said "You know, he looks quite real for an android."
Jeno choked and Mark's head turned so fast he almost broke his neck. "What did you just say?" he
asked, stunned.

"Haechan, he looks quite human for an android. Are you deaf?" Renjun repeated himself. Mark
stared at him with wide eyes. How did the hybrid know about Haechan?

"Oh come on! You seriously thought I didn't know?" Renjun laughed, ridiculing Jeno and Mark.

"To be honest, yes." Jeno replied, still staring at the hybrid in disbelief. Renjun's cat ears wiggled
and he let out another chuckle as he said "God, you're stupid. I was literally there when you guys
went to visit Mark. You took me with you, don't you remember?"

Jeno's eyes widened and you could see the realisation settling in as his brain processed the
information. If Mark wasn't so surprised he would have laughed at his friend's facial expression.

"So you knew all this time?" he asked Renjun who nodded and rolled his eyes as if to say
'obviously'. On the one hand Mark was relieved to see that he wouldn't have to keep the secret to
Renjun anymore but on the other side he was scared of Renjun accidentally spilling the beans to
someone from the outside which would leave Mark to be dead meat.

"What's going on?" Jaemin asked. All three men jumped as the bubbly male had appeared out of
the blue. Haechan behind him giggled and Mark's heart melted at the adorable sound. When
Mark's eyes fell on the small male, he couldn't help but smile. Haechan interlocked their eyes and
gave Mark another giggle. The older male felt his heart swell up and all he wanted was to give
Haechan the biggest hug.

"Okay, seems like I'm not getting an answer." Jaemin noted as silence had spread "We're finished
now, if you want you can leave." he told Mark. The latter nodded and suddenly noticed Jaemin and
Haechan holding hands. He felt a sting in his heart and Jaemin seemed to have noticed that as he let
go of Haechan's hand, looking at Mark.

"Indeed I think we should go now." the oldest male said, taken aback by his own cold tone. He
could feel all eyes on him so he cleared his throat and smiled awkwardly.

"We will be coming back soon." he said.

"Can't wait to see Jaemin-hyung again!" Haechan exclaimed and excitedly clapped his hands.
Jaemin laughed at the android and ruffled his hair. He opened his arms and Haechan immediately
engulfed Jaemin in a hug. However he had his eyes on Mark who didn't break their eye contact and
only stared back. Was Haechan trying to make him jealous?

He shook his head. That thought was ridiculous and it was better to not overthink it, Mark thought.
So he just bid Renjun and Jeno goodbye as well as Jaemin when the other had let go of Haechan.

"Go get him, tiger." Jaemin whispered in Mark's ear during their goodbye hug. Mark's eyes
widened and he stared at Jaemin who just wiggled his eyebrows and winked.

Mark didn't get any explanations as Haechan had already made his way out of the store and the
man didn't want to leave the android alone on the open streets. So with one last hand wave to his
friends he left the store, his head still processing Jaemin's words and deciphering their meaning.
 Chapter 11

During the next few days, Mark would notice Haechan doing things. Things he wasn't supposed to
do. Teasing, rebelling, doing stuff Mark told him not to.

Mark knew Haechan wanted to provoke him but he wasn't sure why exactly. He didn't fail to notice
that Haechan had picked up on the fact that if he wore revealing clothing Mark would go crazy for
it. And so he wore it a lot, purposely showing off his body. And fuck, Mark wanted to give in.
Whenever they sat together on the couch he just wanted to pull Haechan to his side or even better
on his lap. He wanted to kiss and bruise the smaller's plump lips. He wanted to give in whenever
the android pouted at Mark for not getting his way. But he resisted, Taeyong's words always in
mind. They felt like a deadline he had yet to meet. Always at the back of his mind, stressing him
out.

Obviously he couldn't tell Haechan about that and neither could he admit to the android how much
his teasing affected Mark. And so the smaller would continue on rebelling and doing everything in
his might to get Mark to snap.

He would go out on his own, never far but always leaving Mark worried. He would let Yoonji out
without Mark's permission and once he even tried to go to Jaemin's and Jeno's store without telling
Mark. All these events annoyed and worried Mark. He felt like he was a parent, dealing with his
teen's rebellious phase.

One day, Haechan had done it again. He had left the house in the early morning while Mark still
had been asleep. When he woke up and didn't find the android to be anywhere in the apartment, he
groaned in annoyance. He quickly changed his clothes before taking his gun and exiting his
apartment in a hurry. With a bit of luck, Haechan hadn't made it far yet.

Due to it being still fairly early, the streets were mostly empty. Mark was grateful for that as it
would make finding Haechan way easier. His eyes searched the area. He decided to check the
dumpster at the street corner and to his relief Haechan was there. His jacket had fallen down to his
elbows and he had one arm raised. Mark furrowed his eyebrows and took another few steps
towards Haechan.

What had been hidden by the angle before now revealed that Haechan was actually holding his
own gun, pointing it at something behind a hill of trash.

"Haechan, what are you doing?" Mark yelled. The android quickly turned to Mark and pointed his
gun at him. As soon as he recognised the human however he took down the gun but rolled his eyes.

"I told you to stop following me whenever I go out. I can deal with this myself." he told Mark,
obviously annoyed.

"And I told you to not go out without me and yet here we are. Why are you carrying the gun
anyway?" Mark replied, his tone just as cold as Haechan's.

The latter groaned as Mark pulled him by the arm. He tried to wiggle out of the human's grip but
Mark was strong and wouldn't let that happen. And so the man dragged Haechan back to their
apartment, lecturing and cursing at him the whole time.

"Why do you care about me so much all of the sudden?" Haechan angrily shouted once they both
had entered the apartment. Mark looked at him in surprise, he had never seen the android so
emotional. Was it even possible for the android to feel emotions?

"Because it's my job to take care of you and prepare you for Taeyong! I thought we already went
over this!" Mark shouted back, not realising how much he had raised his voice. He could feel his
throat tightening up as he stared helplessly at Haechan.

"Then why do you keep on rejecting me? I don't understand. Why can I be so close with Jaemin
and not with you even though I live and 'work' with you." Haechan complained, emphasising the
word 'work' as if to highlight that he didn't see Mark as a colleague.

"Listen Haechan, it's not that I don't want to. It's the same with the sexual attraction. I feel it too! I
just can't give in and give you the affection you want. It's unprofessional." Mark tried to explain.
He could see Haechan rolling his eyes.

"That's all you ever say! Why can't we just go back to how we were? I want it, I miss it. I miss
you." Haechan admitted, his voice suddenly becoming a lot more quiet. Mark took a step closer to
him to be able to understand him.

"I'm sorry Haechan, I really am. But we just can't have that type of relationship anymore. The risk
of Taeyong catching us is too high." Mark told him. It was true. If it hadn't been for Taeyong,
Mark would've long given into Haechan's provocations. He would have gone back to their old
ways and even more. Because he liked Haechan, he knew that much. He couldn't say in what way
but he did. The android first annoying had now gotten a special place in his heart and it was hard to
ignore it. No matter how annoyed Mark grew with him now, it was too late already. He had
already grown fond of Haechan, had already made too many good memories with him.

"Something is wrong with me, isn't it? It's my fault. I'm not like everyone else. I'm stupid, that's
why you needed to teach me everything. Just a stupid android." Haechan mumbled to himself, his
eyes staring at the ground.

Mark gulped at Haechan's words. While on the one hand the android was right that he wasn't like
everyone else that didn't stop him from being likeable if not loveable. Mark cleared his throat and
put his hand under Haechan's chin to make the android look up at him. Their eyes locked and Mark
got lost in the little night skies Haechan's eyes were holding in them.

The android gave him a sad smile at which Mark 's heart hurt. He cleared his throat to make his
voice clear before saying "You're not just some stupid android. You're smart and even though I
don't understand how or why, I like you very much Haechan."

Haechan's pupils dilated in surprise at Mark's words. In the man's mind, next to his confession
which Haechan obviously couldn't know the actual meaning behind, he also was once amazed by
just how detailed Haechan's face looked. The mole on the cheek, the long lashes and those pretty
brown eyes.

"Are you sure you like me? Because whenever I try to show you affection, you reject it." Haechan
said. Mark chuckled at the android and said "Silly, I have told you several times now why. Believe
me, I want to. I want to give in, I want to so badly."

"Then do it." Haechan whispered, once again locking their eyes. "Give in." he added, wrapping his
arms around Mark's neck. The man's eyes fell onto Haechan's lips and then back up to Haechan's
eyes. The smaller gave him a subtle nod and so Mark thought 'fuck it' and finally closed the
distance between them, connecting their lips.

This kiss felt awkward, clumsy at first. No surprise as Mark hadn't kissed someone in a while and
Haechan had never kissed anyone ever. After a while however they found their rhythm and their
lips started to move in sync against each other. Automatically Mark's arms wrapped around
Haechan's waist, pulling him closer.

Words couldn't possibly describe just how heavenly Haechan's lips felt. Mark couldn't get enough
of them, becoming addicted mit only to their taste but also Haechan's subtle smell. Mark had
bought him a perfume a week prior and hadn't regretted it ever since. The sweet smell clouded his
mind as he smiled against Haechan's lips, the latter burying his hands in Mark's hair.

The kiss didn't last long but to Mark it felt like a lifetime in which he finally took what he had been
denied for so long. He didn't want to part from Haechan but his lungs desperately needed air so he
disconnected their lips and opened his eyes again. He looked down at Haechan who still had his
eyes closed and let out a content sigh.

"Now I know why the people in the movies like to do that." Haechan noted, causing Mark to
giggle. He stared at the android's blissful face and cooed at him.

"Can we do it again?" Haechan asked and who was Mark to deny his request? One more time he
connected their lips, this time both of them were much more certain in their actions and easily
found back to their addictive rhythm. Haechan let out a little wince as Mark bit his lower lip but
Mark took that opportunity to let his tongue enter Haechan's mouth. And fuck, did it feel good.

Suddenly something touched Mark's legs, causing him to separate from Haechan and look down.
There was Yoonji, letting out a meow. Haechan chuckled at her and asked "You want to get fed,
huh?" He then let go of Mark and prepared Yoonji's food.

Mark was almost happy to get distance from Haechan as just now the realisation of his actions
settled in. He had given in and he couldn't bring himself to regret it. It just felt way too good and
relieving to do it. However now he had to make sure this didn't happen again. Because if it did,
Mark knew he would just fall for Haechan and that was pretty much the last thing he wanted now.

"Haechan?" he questioned and the smaller hummed from the other side of the room, signalling that
he was listening to Mark.

"This was the only time, alright? You know I can't do this again." Mark told him. Haechan gave
him a quick look over the shoulder and just said "The rules, I know. Don't worry."

Mark raised his eyebrows. Was it really that easy? Did Haechan really give up that fast? Or was
more behind it than the android was showing. Either way, Mark had to keep an eye on him,
hopefully without feeling another urge to kiss him. He shook his head at his thoughts and left the
room to use the bathroom.

He finally took off his bandages which in the past weeks he managed to change himself as it wasn't
a big wound anymore. Now only rosy skin was the indicator anything had ever happened. It would
probably leave a scar, Mark thought as he traced over his collar bone. He stared at the mirror and
eyed himself up and down.

He had lost muscle mass, he noticed. Working out wasn't really a thing anymore ever since
Haechan had moved in with him. Mark was just too busy keeping up with the android to actively
work on his body which usually was something he enjoyed to do. He decided to start working out
again, maybe going on runs in the mornings. Like this he could also prevent incidents like the one
today from happening.

Next to running, he could also work on his martial art skill. He used to be really good but now
Mark wasn't all too confident with his skills anymore. Especially remembering the incident that
made him wear the bandages in mind, Mark decided to also freshen up his skills in the next few
days. Maybe he could get Haechan to help him out. The android couldn't feel pain, could he? Well,
Mark would know soon enough.

He exited the bathroom again, telling Haechan of his plans while they ate breakfast. Their fight
almost forgotten by now as a comfortable atmosphere spread in the small apartment.

"Running is indeed a good idea. The regular exercise helps your body immensely since next to
keeping in shape you will most likely prevent heart problems and your brain would benefit from
the fresh air as well." Haechan said, obviously reading off his database. Mark grinned at his words
and asked "Did you just indirectly call me stupid?"

Haechan gave him a surprised look, his eyes going wide as he was quick to make clear "No, that
wasn't my intention. I'm sorry if that was a hurtful thing to say."

Mark chuckled and gave Haechan a dismissive hand gesture. "I know, I was just kidding." he
clarified which made Haechan let out a relieved sigh. Another thing Mark liked about Haechan, his
empathy despite not being human. Sometimes it amused Mark how the android was more human
than some actual humans Mark knew.

"Can I ask you something?" Haechan asked after they had finished their breakfast. Mark nodded to
tell Haechan to go ahead so the android asked "Why does Renjun not have ears like we do? He had
ears like Yoonji and I have never seen a human with cat ears. Is that something my database has
missed out on?"

"That's a long story really." Mark laughed but when Haechan's interest didn't cease the man
decided to just tell Haechan. There was actually no reason for Haechan to not know, especially
considering that he and Renjun actually had quite the chemistry.

"Renjun is what we call a hybrid. A mix between animal and human. They have the ability to
switch between their human form and their animal form. It's quite a scientific wonder on how they
came to existence but most of the information is secret so we as the normal population will
probably never know if the hybrids don't tell us." he explained to Haechan.

"So they were man-made?" Haechan asked and Mark nodded, proud at the android for
understanding so quickly. "And why did the scientist do that?"

Mark shrugged "We can't be sure of that either. The government paid them money and if there is
one thing people love them it's money."

"Love? I have heard of that word before." Haechan noted, tilting his head before citing out his
database "To love, to feel deep affection for something or someone or to like or enjoy something
very much. It's related to falling in love which is the process of developing a deep romantic or
sexual attachment to someone. Is that correct?"

Mark nodded, stunned by the android once again. It was so cool how easily Haechan could just
recall any information he had ever heard and collected.

"Mark?" Haechan asked. The latter hummed, not looking up at the android however as he suddenly
a weird feeling spread throughout his body.

"I love you." Haechan said, in his most casual voice. Mark choked on air and coughed out loud,
staring at Haechan in surprise as well as terror. He didn't seriously just say that.
"You can't, androids don't have feelings." Mark told him. It sounded unsure, more like he wanted
to convince himself than anything. Mark cursed at himself however Haechan only pouted.

"So is my definition of love wrong? Why would you lie to me?" he asked, obviously sulking.

Mark shook his head "No, the definition of love was correct. It's just you can't feel it. You're a
robot, not designed to feel things, to experience things like love."

"How would you know how I feel?" Haechan asked. Mark stared at him, totally caught off guard.
So Haechan could feel? Could experience emotions? But how? He was a machine, the buttons
behind his left ear literally proved it. Helplessly he shrugged and said "I don't. Actually I'm
surprised you do have feelings."

"I can assure you, I do. It's weird though. At first I didn't even understand that I could experience
emotions. It feels like I developed them over time." Haechan mumbled, fiddling with his fingers.
Mark sighed and rubbed his temples in frustration.

All he had wanted was money to babysit a robot and now he was stuck with an android who not
only felt emotions but apparently also felt emotions towards Mark. How the hell would he explain
to the android that his sole purpose was to kill people on the street for a mafia boss? Also
regarding the whole mafia thing, Mark would have to have a talk with Yangyang and Kun. Last
time he checked androids weren't supposed to fall in love with humans.
 Chapter 12

'Fuck', Mark thought as he stared up at Haechan. How was the smaller so innocent and so
provocative at the same time? Haechan was just looking at him which usually wouldn't be an issue
if it wasn't for the android sitting right on Mark's dick.

Let's start from the beginning though. A few days after that kiss Mark had started working out
again and Haechan had wanted to join him. Mark hadn't seen any downsides, Taeyong would only
like it if Haechan was trained and could run and fight.

The only problem was that whenever Haechan would join him, whether for runs or for his martial
arts training, he would wear rather revealing clothing. Mark had told him several times how it was
against the rules and Haechan had nodded it off every time, saying he would wear less
inappropriate clothing next time. After the third time it was obvious that Haechan wouldn't actually
do that.

Usually in this situation Mark would have simply refused to let Haechan exercise with him
however he wanted the android to be trained and in form, or at least as much as an android could be
in form. Despite remaining cold, he still cared for Haechan and didn't want him to get shot or
beaten up the first time Taeyong would 'use' him. Mark despised thinking of it this way but it was
pretty much accurate. To Taeyong, Haechan was nothing more than a pawn he could use for his
mafia chess games.

Mark's stomach twisted whenever he thought of the android's future so he tried to not do it as
much. It was difficult though as obviously they're was a clock ticking on their time together and
with each passing day Mark wanted Haechan to stay more.

Hence why he let the boy come with him on runs and helped him learn the basics of martial arts.
He enjoyed his time with the android who was a quick learner and offered Mark a challenge which
the man gladly took at any opportunity given.

Therefore when Haechan asked for him to teach the basic defence strategies, Mark didn't refuse
despite knowing the amount of skin contact they would have to share.

At first Mark had only shown Haechan the movement but obviously the android would have to
apply the techniques as well in an actual fight so Mark took it upon himself to guide Haechan
through the process.

Before doing so he had set up the camera. He was pretty sure this learning process would be of
importance for Kun and Yangyang to see as this was why Haechan was actually with him.

What he wouldn't have thought but should have guessed was how much Haechan teased him. The
small male would get the movements wrong on purpose to make Mark sigh and help out. Mark
knew of Haechan's doings but had to admit to himself that he enjoyed it still.

Especially with the limited space in Mark's small living room, the atmosphere got heated quickly.
Mark stood in front of Haechan, ready to 'attack' him so Haechan could defend himself. The
android seemed to be eager to learn, his chest heaving and eyes narrowed at Mark, trying to
calculate his movements. Mark knew, to beat Haechan, he would have to be smart and
unpredictable. Obviously as Haechan's AI could analyse his every move and make predictions
based on those.
Mark licked his lips, thinking hard of a way to outsmart Haechan. He scanned the boy's stance but
while doing so couldn't help but notice the boy's clothing which of course was revealing like all the
times before.

"So are you going to do something or just fight me by eyeing me up and down?" Haechan asked,
obviously teasing Mark who growled "Maybe if you weren't wearing such inappropriate clothing I
would be able to concentrate properly."

"Will all enemies think like that or is that just a you thing?" Haechan questioned further,
repositioning his leg for a more stable stance.

"Take a guess." Mark replied and then quickly extended his fist which Haechan easily dodged. So
attacking by distracting the android didn't work, Mark made a mental note to himself.

"Wow, that was all?" the smaller asked, looking not impressed nor stressed about Mark's attack.
The man cursed under his breath and rolled his eyes. As much as he liked Haechan's personality,
the bratty attitude was something that would go on his nerves from time to time.

"You want me to actually fight you then?" Mark asked, now getting annoyed. He could see an
excited glint in Haechan's eyes and gulped. He shouldn't have spoken so soon however it was too
late now and he couldn't take his words back.

Now he could actually see how fast the android's reactions were, right? Another thing he would
learn about Haechan. And not surprisingly Haechan dodged all his next punches, however seemed
to be caught off guard when Mark's leg hit him at the side. Haechan being Haechan however
quickly reacted and used his own leg to kick into the back of Mark's legs. The man felt himself fall
to the floor, however was lucky enough to use his arms to support his falling body.

He cursed under his breath but Haechan wasn't done yet as he settled down onto Mark's hips and
pressed the man's body down completely. And this was the exact moment where Mark thought
'Fuck' as he felt Haechan's ass right on his dick.

The android knew what he was doing. Mark could tell by his smirk and the amused glint in his
eyes. To tease him, Haechan bent down a little, his face hovering just a few inches over Mark's.

"You have a big ego for someone with such little skill." he said, making Mark's blood boil. He had
been the one to teach the boy all those things and now Haechan just talked down to him like that?
Mark clenched his jaw, glaring up at Haechan's smug face.

"Believe me, you won't be able to walk once I'm done with you!" he spat and lifted his upper body
a bit.

"Is that a threat or a promise?" Haechan grinned and moved his hips just a tiny bit. Mark
immediately groaned, his hand forming a fist to resist grabbing Haechan's waist.

"A threat." he whispered but Haechan only laughed at him and said "I'm not scared of you
anymore."

This exact arrogance was what Mark had been waiting for. While Haechan was busy priding
himself with his win (or so he thought) his body relaxed. Mark took the opportunity to jerk his hips
up and took the one second their bodies weren't touching to twist his hip. With his hands he caught
Haechan's body and turned them over so that now it was Haechan laying under him.

"You should be." he replied to Haechan's comment from a few seconds before and now
triumphantly stared down at the android who let out a whine. That little sound sent a shiver down
Mark's spine and all his excitement immediately went to his dick. Luckily he didn't have a boner
yet but he knew that if the tension didn't stop soon this wouldn't end well.

"Still not scared of you." Haechan said but his voice was noticeably less confident. He moved his
arms to push Mark off however Mark held his arms to the ground, giving Haechan the biggest grin.

"Let go of me. I learned the lesson." the android sighed. Mark simply shook his head and
continued to stare down at Haechan who finally looked up at Mark as well. Their eyes locked and
Mark could once again see the little galaxies Haechan's eyes were holding in them.

"You should have known better than to tease me all the time. I warned you." Mark sneered. His
eyes flickered from Haechan's eyes down to his lips which were slightly parted because Haechan
was breathing heavily.

Haechan gulped and mumbled more quietly "I'm sorry." Mark chuckled at that and said "A sorry
won't cut it. You know what you were doing when you put on those short pants or the revealing
top. Don't think I haven't noticed how much you enjoy teasing me, knowing I am not allowed to
give in."

He tilted his head slightly and bent down a little farther. His lips were now ghosting over
Haechan's, their breaths mixing and making them both feel even hotter than it already was.

Haechan let out another little whine, the adorable sound making Mark go crazy. He let their lips
touch however didn't act out in it. Haechan opened his mouth for Mark to finally actually kiss him
but Mark was enjoying this too much to give the android that satisfaction.

"You want me to kiss you, huh?" he asked, their lips touching at each word. Haechan let out a
whimpering hum and raised his head up a little, making their lips fully touch now. When the
android realised Mark wouldn't move his lips, he bit down the man's lower lip. The older let out a
groan and opened his mouth. Haechan took the opportunity and finally truly kissed Mark.

Haechan's lips tasted just as good, if not better, than their last kiss. Mark loved Haechan's eager
movements and easily adapted to it. He let Haechan take the lead, finding joy in the smaller's
sloppy and clumsy lip movement.

"Come on, Mark!" Haechan whined in between their kisses. Mark grinned, knowing he had won
their little game and finally took over. His hands grabbed Haechan's head and pulled it upwards so
now both of them were sitting. The man swiftly pulled Haechan into his lap and leaned against the
couch for support of their bodies.

He reconnected their lips, this time dominating the kiss. He loved how when it came to kissing,
Haechan would actually submit to him without hesitation, without any protest. It was almost as if
Haechan enjoyed submitting to him, the way he was opening his mouth for Mark's tongue to enter.
Mark's hands traveled to Haechan's hips and grabbed them tightly.

The smaller let out a moan at Mark's action however it only came out muffled due to their lips
being still connected. Mark smiled into the kiss and let his thumb travel over Haechan's waistline.
This little touch was enough for Haechan to buckle his hips against Mark's hands, obviously ready
and needy for more.

"I need it, please!" Haechan mumbled against Mark's lips as his hands traveled under Mark's shirt.
The man could feel the android's cool fingers traced hurriedly over his chest and torso. He threw
his head back and let it rest on the couch while Haechan's fingers were driving him crazy.
"Show me how badly you need it." he said, heavily breathing. Haechan nodded eagerly (not that
Mark could see that) and connected his lips to Mark's exposed neck. The man closed his eyes at the
blissful feeling of Haechan hungrily sucking on his sensitive skin.

Letting out little moans and curses, Mark let his hand travel under Haechan's waist band, feeling
his obvious boner up and down. Haechan moaned against his neck and Mark loved the way
Haechan bit down harshly whenever Mark would palm him.

"Holy shit, how are you so good at this?" he asked. He felt Haechan grinding hips hips, the boy's
boner meeting Mark's hand at every movement.

"Need you so badly, Mark." Haechan whimpered. Mark lifted his head again and pulled Haechan's
head down to kiss the smaller once again, this time harsh and needy. His body became hotter by
the minute and a familiar heat started to build up in Mark's stomach, all that only by Haechan
grinding on him.

"We shouldn't be doing this." he mumbled as he finally pulled out Haechan's dick out of the
smaller's boxers.

"Who cares?" Haechan replied. His voice had become weak and he let his head rest on Mark's
shoulder as the man started giving him a few slow testing strokes. With each stroke Mark could
feel Haechan twitching in his hand.

This was Mark's first time giving anyone other than himself a handjob so he wasn't really sure with
how good he was doing. However Haechan's little whines and moans told him he was going in the
right direction.

With his thumb Mark spread Haechan's precum all over the smaller's dick and let it twitch in his
hand as he was kissing the side of Haechan's neck,

The android had wrapped his arms around Mark's neck as well, leaving their bodies to be
extremely close. So close that when Haechan finally came with another few fast strokes Mark
could not only feel the liquid all over his hand but also on his shirt.

With his other free arm and hand he held Haechan's body which was jerking due to the boy's
orgasm. Mark had a hard time not cumming on the spot as Haechan rubbed right against his very
own heat. However Mark held back and let Haechan ride out his orgasm.

"Are you done?" he asked after letting Haechan rest for a bit. The android nodded against Mark's
chest and did when Mark requested for him to dress again. The man meanwhile cleaned off his
hand, not his shirt however as he knew he would only make it worse if he rubbed the cum into the
fabric. Instead he took off the shirt and threw it into the washing machine before returning to the
still tired Haechan.

"You go rest for a little, I'll take care of my business in the bathroom." Mark told him. Haechan
nodded and Mark turned around to go to the bathroom when his eyes fell on the camera. His eyes
widened as he realised it had been filming the whole entire time. Mark quickly stopped the
recording and watched as the video automatically transferred to his own device. Mark shut the
camera off, not telling Haechan about it.

Instead he went to the bathroom and then looked at the video. Needless to say if he hadn't been
hard already, looking at the scene unfolding once again would have definitely given Mark a boner.
By now though his dick was rock hard and he took it out while watching the video. Seeing how
much Haechan had enjoyed all this turned him on even more. He closed his eyes, Haechan's small
moans audible in the video. He gave himself a few strokes before speeding up his pace.

He laid his phone on the counter and turned around, letting his one arm support him against the
door. With his other arm he kept on giving himself strokes. His hips moved automatically against
his hand and he imagined it not to be his own hand but Haechan. His hips speed up even further as
the man imagined thrusting into Haechan, giving off small grunts and moans.

He felt the heat taking over and finally let go. With one last thrust he came all over his own hand
and on the floor between him and the door. Breathing heavily, his legs almost gave up as he let his
body lean against the door.

He turned his head to the side where he could see himself in the mirror, sweaty with disheveled
hair, shirtless and with a few big hickeys on the neck which had been Haechan's work.

Mark knew he should be worried and embarrassed of what had just happened but if he was honest
he only felt satisfied. He knew he had started something he couldn't control but fuck, how did one
seriously expect him to be able to resist Haechan. Especially when the android was teasing him
nonstop and literally asked and wanted for Mark to snap. Now having finally done it only gave the
man satisfaction.

He cleaned off his hands and the floor and then took a quick shower, just to get rid of all the sweat.
He then exited the bathroom and dressed himself in some cozy clothes before returning to the
living room. There was Haechan, comfortably sitting on the couch while petting Yoonji. Mark
wordlessly sat down next to him. He felt quite sleepy from not only the exercise but also
everything that had happened after. So he just laid his head on Haechan's lap and closed his eyes.
He knew the other must be staring at him in surprise but Mark couldn't be bothered to care. He was
so tired that he fell asleep within a matter of minutes.
 Chapter 13

They didn't talk about it. It made Mark go crazy but none of them mentioned what had happened.
Mark could tell however how much Haechan was yearning for a repetition of the events. He kept
on trying to make Mark fight him by teasing and mocking and damn, the human wanted to put
Haechan into his place. It took so much patience which he barely had in himself to not give in. But
Mark knew this was the only right way. If or rather when he had to let Haechan go, he didn't want
to be too attached to him whether in a sexual, platonic or maybe even romantic way.

One thing Mark couldn't say no to however was the movie nights. They had become a huge source
of comfort for Mark and he could tell Haechan felt the same. Though he resisted from cuddling
Haechan, one night he ended up falling asleep in the smaller's lap.

When Mark woke up, it was night time already. Haechan hadn't moved from his position earlier;
however was now still and had his eyes closed, which indicated he was in his deep sleep mode.

Mark raised off Haechan's lap and pulled the android down into a more comfortable position
before spreading a blanket all over Haechan's body.

Then he saw Yoonji who was staring at him through the darkness. Even though her appearance had
scared Mark at first he chuckled and petted her head before giving her her dinner. It was too late
already however Yoonji excitedly ran over to her bowl and ate all of the food before laying down
next to Haechan on the couch to go to sleep.

Mark looked at the two, Yoonji cuddled into Haechan's side who was still lying there. His body
didn't move except for his steadily heaving chest. It was a calming view and Mark enjoyed the
silence and comfort surrounding it.

He himself didn't feel sleepy whatsoever which wasn't a big surprise considering how many hours
he must have slept that it was nighttime already. The man checked the clock on the wall to see it
was just before midnight. He sighed and rubbed his eyes, contemplating on what to do now.

After a bit of thinking, he decided to take a walk. Knowing the streets were pretty dangerous at
night he took his gun with himself, just to be safe.

The streets were packed with people who were wandering around in little groups, either returning
from bars and clubs or making their way to them. Mark couldn't help but enjoy the sight of the
crowd in the dim alley ways which were only lit by bright neon signs and the moon shine. It looked
cool, dystopian almost.

Since he wasn't really sure on where to go, Mark let his legs carry him to the marketplace. The
stores themselves were closed because the area surrounding it was still filled with life due to all the
bars which were welcoming customers.

Mark entered one of them, the warm and humid air from inside warming up his shivering skin. He
kept his gun close to his hand at all times, not really trusting anyone around here. He sat down at
the bar and waited until the barkeeper came up to him.

"What can I get you?" she asked, eyeing him up and down. Mark looked at her with a small smile
and said "Oh, just one margarita on the rocks please."

She nodded and her long, black hair flew around. She was very pretty honestly and Mark would
have definitely shot his shot if he wasn't feeling guilty. Guilty that Haechan didn't know he was
out, guilty that Haechan wasn't here with him.

The barkeeper handed him the glass with a smile and Mark read off her name tag "Thank you,
Akira. How much would that be?"

"One thousand Won." she replied and Mark handed her the money which she paid into the register.
Mark watched her smooth movements as she turned around to serve drinks for other customers.

He couldn't deny her looks. She was exactly his type, tall, black hair and she didn't have korean
facial features. This and her name made Mark guess she wasn't originally from Korea but probably
from Japan.

"She's pretty, eh?" a guy next to Mark commented, giving the man a nudge into the side. Mark
hummed but didn't show any interest in keeping the conversation going.

"My name is Yuta, nice to meet you." the stranger introduced himself. Mark now didn't have any
other choice but to acknowledge the other's attempts at making conversation so he turned his head
to look at his seat neighbour.

The man, just like Akira, didn't have korean but japanese facial features. This added up with his
foreign name which somehow fit the man. He was about Mark's height but was wearing all black
and had dark red hair which went down to his shoulders. It was quite a look which Mark wasn't
used to. However despite being stunned by the man's looks he didn't miss the gun hanging at the
weapon holster around the man's waist.

"Nice to meet you too, my name is Mark." the man introduced himself at which Yuta nodded,
barely acknowledging the info. Mark was confused as to why since he didn't know this man and he
had been the one to initiate the conversation.

"What are you doing here? I haven't seen you here before." Yuta commented. Mark shrugged and
replied "Felt like it. I wanted to go for a walk but somehow ended up here."

Yuta hummed and waved for Akira who went over to them. The two exchanged a few words in
Japanese. Mark just sat there, watching them as he had no idea what the two were talking about.
Yuta said something and cocked his head in Mark's direction. Akira mustered Mark up and down
before giving a final comment to Yuta before returning back to other customers.

"What were you two talking about?" Mark questioned. Yuta's face showed a sly grin as he
dismissively answered "Oh, nothing. Don't worry about it."

Mark didn't feel like Yuta was telling the truth, however he didn't want to cause any trouble so he
just nodded and went back to his drink.

The two men chatted for a bit more but Make didn't really feel himself hitting off with the guy so
after a while he emptied his glass and put it back down on the counter.

"I think I'll get going now. It was nice meeting you." he told Yuta who stood up as well. Mark
raised his eyebrows and Yuta explained himself "I will accompany you outside. I need to get home
as well, it's late already."

Mark nodded, however felt sceptical so his hand was constantly hovering over his gun. He knew
Yuta could see that but he'd rather have Yuta knowing about his gun but staying safe then getting
kidnapped or something. After all, the japanese man did seem kind of sketchy.

The two left the bar together and then bid their goodbyes. Make couldn't help but feel relieved as he
watched Yuta's figure get surged into the crowds of drunk and loud people. Many of them were
yelling and singing, obviously enjoying the night life of the area. Mark wished to do the same, just
getting straight up drunk but he had to get home one way or another and he'd rather be sober than
drunk while doing so. He didn't want to get lost or kidnapped or worse.

And so the man made his way through the crowds. To his dismay the uncomfortable and eerie
feeling didn't go away. If anything it only got more intense as Mark closely watched anyone who
walked nearby him. He felt as if he was being watched but whenever he turned around to look, the
only thing he could see were people enjoying themselves and obviously not paying any attention to
him whatsoever. He knew that but couldn't shake off the feeling which accompanied him all the
way home.

When he reached the door to his apartment he turned around one final time but upon seeing nobody
he shook his head to get rid of the paranoid thoughts of getting followed and finally entered the
apartment.

A look at the clock told him he had been gone for two hours. His eyes traveled from the wall to the
couch on which both Yoonji and Haechan were resting. Mark crouched down to them and petted
Yoonji's head before his eyes fell onto Haechan.

The android as expected was laying perfectly still. The only movement was the raising chest and
the small breaths he took. Mark traced over the smaller's cheek with his finger, just admiring his
beauty. Again he could not believe how this could have possibly been man-made. The little
imperfections such as the moles or a little scar on the eyebrows, they just looked so real. And the
skin felt real too. Mark didn't want to think about it too much as he began to wonder how Kun and
Yangyang could have possibly achieved such a perfect replica of a human.

Mark cupped Haechan's cheeks and gave him a little peck on the nose. He knew he shouldn't but he
just couldn't resist. It was honestly unfair how this perfect being had just entered his life, ready for
Mark to fall in love with him but then get taken away by Taeyong.

Despite knowing the unspoken deadline that was restricting their friendship, Mark wasn't ready to
let Haechan go yet. He just couldn't. There was so much still he wanted to show him, so much
more he wanted to explain to the smaller, to let the boy taste, smell, feel. Even more so now that he
found out Haechan could actually experience emotions.

Feeling himself tearing up, Make shook his head. He raised up to his feet again and went to the
kitchen to bring as much space between him and Haechan as possible. He sniffed whilst looking
out the kitchen window which showed the view of the street in front of the apartment. There were a
few movements Make could make out in the darkness here and there but they were presumably
homeless people and animals, searching for food or victims or both.

The man aimlessly wandered around the kitchen, cleaning up here and there. He didn't feel tired
necessarily however the darkness surrounding him called him back to sleep. So after another few
minutes he sighed and just went back to his own bed.

The next time he opened his eyes, Haechan's face was hovering closely over his, making Mark
flinch. The man scooter away and tired rubbed his eyes. Haechan giggled and gave Mark a final
nudge before lifting his upper body again.

"You slept long. Everything alright?" the android asked. Mark nodded and blinked a few times to
let his eyes get used to the brightness. He looked at Haechan who was smiling at him, Yoonji by
his side.
Without meaning to do so, Mark smiled back. The sight warmed his heart and it did even more so
when Haechan pulled out a cup of coffee.

"Thank you, you didn't have to do that." the human said and gratefully took the cup from Haechan's
hands who said "I know I didn't but I was bored and had nothing better to do."

"What's the time then?" Mark asked.

"About eleven? Yes, my data says it's two minutes past eleven." Haechan replied. Mark choked on
the hot liquid in his throat and coughed a few times.

"Eleven already? I really slept for long, wow!" he managed to say in surprise after finally
recovering from his coughing fit. Haechan hummed and watched Mark in amusement.

"Got any plans for today? Training again? I could help you out again." the android offered but
Mark shook his head.

"I was thinking we could pay Jaemin, Jeno and Renjun another visit. What do you think?" Mark
suggested. At the mention of Jaemin's name Haechan's face lit up and he excitedly clapped his
hands and said "Oh yes, I would love that."

"Great! I'll just quickly text them to inform them. You can already get ready if you want to." the
human noted.

"You won't eat breakfast?" Haechan asked.

"Just a quick snack, we can cook later." Mark answered.

"You mean I will cook later?" Haechan asked quietly, almost as if to himself. Mark laughed and
replied "I guess so."

The android walked off and got changed while Mark was eating his breakfast in the kitchen. He
tried his best to not stare at Haechan from across the room but it was hard to resist looking at the
android's pretty body with the soft skin and amazing figure.

After Mark had gotten ready too the two said goodbye to Yoonji who was laying on her usual spot
in the sunlight on the couch. Then they exited the apartment and made their familiar way to Jeno's
and Jaemin's shop.

"How come you weren't sleeping where I remember you were?" Haechan asked on their way as he
intertwined their fingers. Mark blushed at how casually the android did it even though they had
been doing it all the time when they would go out together.

"I woke up in the night and then fell asleep in my bed later." Mark answered. He didn't tell
Haechan about his little trip to the bar, feeling like Haechan would only lose his trust in Mark and
potentially feel hurt, which was something Mark definitely didn't want to happen.

"Ah, I understand." Haechan nodded and then went on to ask Mark more about the flying cars.
Grateful for the change of topic, the human explained the cars even more to Haechan, despite
actually knowing very little about them. But he could see how Haechan's eyes lit up whenever one
would fly over their heads and it made Mark happy to see Haechan being so comfortable and
interested.

They arrived shortly after and waited for a customer to finish off their order before entering the
store. Jaemin stood behind the counter, Renjun by his side. The latter was wearing a baseball cap
so his cat ears were hidden. His eyes lit up as he saw Mark and Haechan and he immediately
greeted the two of them, causing Jaemin to look up as well.

"Hey you two! If that's not my favourite human android couple." Jaemin exclaimed and gave both
of them a bone crushing hug. In this category he was just like his boyfriend who also appeared
probably due to all the commotion Jaemin was causing.

"Jae, we're not a couple. You know that's weird." Mark scolded his best friend who only rolled his
eyes at Mark and said "Yeah yeah, whatever. It's also weird liking a hybrid and yet here we are."

Mark tilted his head in confusion at Jaemin's words and he looked at Renjun who was getting more
red by the second. However he didn't get the opportunity to ask as now it was Jeno's turn to engulf
his best friend in a tight welcoming hug.

"Glad you two visited again, it's been a while." he said.

"Of course, I wanna see how you three are doing." Mark replied at which Renjun snorted and said
sarcastically "Oh, how thoughtful of you, hyung."

Mark stuck his tongue out at Renjun and then turned to Haechan, only ti find him already chatting
and laughing with Jaemin again. His stomach turned as he saw show close the two had become
with Haechan leaning against Jaemin's side and laughing about Jaemin doing some cute shit.

"Please don't murder my boyfriend." Jeno laughed, commenting on Mark's clenched jaw and hands
which were balled into fists.

"Can't help it. I'm weirdly possessive over him." Mark told his best friend who nodded and said
"I've been feeling the same way too."

"You don't need to worry though, Jaemin will stay loyal to you." Mark stated. Jeno chuckled and
objected, "Actually I wasn't talking about Jaemin."

Mark looked at him in confusion but when Jeno tightly gripped Renjun's waist he nodded,
understanding what Jeno meant. It was always the ones that weren't available to steal your heart.
He could see it Jeno's eyes that the man related to the way Mark was feeling.

The five of them chatted for hours while Jeno and Jaemin finished off customers. Mark wasn't
really scared of the dangerous looking men as not only did he himself have a deal with the mafia
but also he knew he was safe with Jeno and Jaemin. However he didn't fail to notice how many of
the men were hungrily staring at Renjun and Haechan, obviously lusting over them. Needless to
say, Mark made sure to show that Haechan was unavailable just like Jeno and even Jaemin did with
Renjun.

Soon enough Mark felt his stomach growl and he could tell Jaemin's social battery was running low
as the man had now resided to just listening to his boyfriend and Renjun conversing with Haechan.
He nudged the latter by the side and said "I think we should be going now."

Haechan nodded and they said their goodbyes before exiting the store. Haechan happily hummed
to himself, occasionally looking up at the sky to see the flying cars passing by.

Mark however wasn't feeling as comfortable as the smaller. The eerie feeling had returned and the
man was glad he had brought his gun as his free hand was gripping the weapon tightly now.

"Everything alright, Mark?" Haechan asked, sensing Mark's inner restlessness. Mark hummed,
however kept his eyes on the people passing them by. Suddenly he spotted two familiar faces and
cursed under his breath.

He immediately pulled Haechan into an alleyway who helped in surprise and stared at Mark.
"What is going on Mark?" he asked loudly but Mark pressed his hand over Haechan's mouth.

"Be quiet, don't say a word!" he whispered and Haechan nodded. Mark took a deep breath and
stared at the street where people walked by busily. He could have sworn to see Yuta's face in the
crowd which in itself wouldn't be a reason to panic. However, seeing Taeyong next to him was.
 Chapter 14

"Mark, what's going on?" Haechan asked. Despite the android not showing any emotions on his
face Mark could hear it in his voice that his behaviour was scaring Haechan.

"We might have a little problem." Mark whispered and looked at the crowd on the main street
again. Now neither Taeyong nor Yuta were to be seen. He gulped and dragged Haechan a bit
further into the alley, still holding the smaller close at all times.

They waited for another minute or so in silence. Mark knew Haechan wanted to know what was
the problem really badly, however he didn't ask which the human very much appreciated. He
needed the time and the silence to think.

What was Taeyong doing here? Why was he with Yuta? Did the two know each other? And if yes,
was Yuta a member of the Nct mafia?

All these questions filled Mark's mind as he fanatically looked around. Suddenly Haechan grabbed
his hand which was still on the android's mouth and took it down, intertwining their fingers. Mark
gave him a weak smile however greatly appreciated the little gesture.

When Mark thought they waited long enough he finally stood back from Haechan who gave him a
calculating look, obviously trying to check on his mental and physical state.

"Are you okay now? Why were you so panicked?" Haechan asked. Mark tilted his head and replied
"I was panicking because I saw someone who shouldn't see us together."

"The Taeyong guy?" Haechan asked and Mark nodded, saying "Yes, you're right."

"I'm glad your heartbeat has slowed down, you seemed to be at the edge of hyperventilating."
Haechan stated, causing Mark to look at him in surprise.

"How do you know that?" he asked. Haechan lifted up their intertwined hands and wiggled his
thumb which was laying on the man's pulse vein. Impressed with the android's skill of measuring
his heart beat like that, Mark gave him a proud smile.

"Anyway, let's get home as quickly as possible." he said and Haechan nodded. The two returned
onto the main street where Mark kept checking the area and the crowd passing by. Again, the eerie
feeling overcame him but he couldn't make out anyone who was following them.

Haechan's presence by his side calmed him a little, however their constant touch of Haechan's
small hand in his own always gave Mark the feeling he had to protect the android. He knew it was
dumb as obviously Haechan was very skilled and also wasn't an actual living being but still he felt
the urge to keep the android safe from all evil.

They returned home where Mark checked the windows for anyone who was potentially watching
them from outside but again, he couldn't see anyone.

Now finally feeling safe, he turned to see Haechan already on the couch. He was playing around
with Yoonji once again and Mark would never get tired of the sight of the two interacting. It was
just too adorable.

"Let's eat. I've been hungry ever since we said goodbye to our friends." Haechan noted, looking up
at Mark. The latter nodded and started to prepare the food. However he was quickly pushed aside
by Haechan who undoubtedly had the better cooking skills out of the two.

Mark watched in fascination as Haechan smoothly prepared their lunch. His movements were so
fast and skilled, Mark was convinced it must be muscle memory. Obviously that couldn't be it and
Haechan must've watched a cooking tutorial but still it looked like the android was barely even
aware of his actions.

Mark was humming along to a song he had heard in the bar the night prior. He hadn't even realised
he had begun to sing until Haechan joined in. Mark was looking at the android in surprise but
Haechan only made a hand gesture for Mark to go on. So the two sang whilst Haechan finished
their lunch.

"You have a nice singing voice." Mark complimented as Haechan put down both their plates for
them to eat.

"So do you. It's satisfying to listen to you singing." Haechan replied, sitting down. Mark felt
himself blush and his ears got all red. He hadn't expected for Haechan to return the compliment.

The two ate and after Haechan took a shower. Mark was just in the living room, finally catching up
with a show he had been watching before Haechan had moved in. It felt weird to think about a time
where Haechan hadn't existed in his life. Mark was now so used to the android, his sassy little
antics and his playing around with Yoonji that he couldn't imagine a life without the android. It
would feel empty.

Haechan returned from his shower, his hair still wet and in a tight shirt. Mark licked his lips,
eyeing the smaller up and down. Haechan didn't seem to notice his stares as he casually sat down
next to Mark and tuned in with the series Mark was watching.

Almost automatically he snuggled closer to Mark. As always Mark scooted away a bit, knowing he
had to keep his distance. However, probably unconsciously if that was possible for an android,
Haechan continued to come closer until Mark gave up. He sighed and didn't move anymore, letting
Haechan rest his head on Mark's chest.

Whilst the android's eyes were glued to the screen, Mark's were glued to Haechan's face. The
android's little natural pout and the smooth tan skin, he couldn't help but admire Haechan's beauty.

Mark let his hand go through Haechan's wet hair, brushing it with his fingers. It felt fluffy and
smelled like Mark's conditioner, the smell immediately entering Mark's nose as soon as he touched
the smaller's hair.

He noticed it had gotten longer. He could easily bury his whole hand in Haechan's hair. That hadn't
been possible when the android first moved in. Raising an eyebrow, Mark wondered why the hell
Haechan's hair would grow.

He would ask Haechan himself but the android most likely wouldn't be able to give him a
satisfactory answer so he didn't and kept quiet, only further admiring Haechan's breathtaking
features.

"Look, they're kissing." Haechan said, pointing at the screen. Indeed two of the characters were
sharing a little kiss on screen. Mark nodded and said "Yes, they are."

"I miss kissing you." Haechan blurted out. Mark choked on his spit and coughed a few times before
staring down at Haechan who had now turned his face to look up at Mark.

"What do you mean?!" the man asked, still in shock.

"I miss kissing you." Haechan repeated "It felt very nice and it gave my stomach tingles. I want to
have those tingles again."

Painfully aware of Haechan's hidden request, Mark said "So do I. But you know we can't."
Haechan nodded, more to himself than to Mark but then gave Mark a bright smile.

"It's alright, I understand. You don't want to feel attached and that's fine. It's unprofessional." he
said.

"Right." Mark nodded, his own smile falling as he looked down into Haechan's eyes which as
always held the little galaxies in them. He couldn't bring himself to look away, enjoying the feeling
of getting lost in Haechan's eyes way too much.

"You can't kiss me." Haechan mumbled, now sounding sad.

"I can't kiss you." Mark repeated. It was like an ongoing mantra that both of them kept telling
themselves. And with each time they said it, they wanted it more.

"I can't kiss you." Mark whispered. He kept their eye contact as Haechan raised himself up with his
arms. Their faces were only a few centimetres apart.

"You can't kiss me." Haechan whispered back and Mark saw the smaller's eyes switching to his
lips. He cupped the boy's cheeks and pulled his face closed until his lips were hovering over
Haechan's.

"I can't kiss you." he said, telling it to himself. Truth to be said, he could and he wanted to. He just
wanted to feel Haechan's plump and soft lips on his own.

"Oh fuck it, I can kiss you." he mumbled against the other's lips before capturing them in a slow
and passionate kiss. Haechan immediately kissed back, letting Mark guide the kiss. His hands
grabbed the fabric of Mark's shirt and pulled the man's chest closer.

Mark let him, only enjoying the final bliss of feeling Haechan's soft lips on his own again, moving
against each other in sync.

Mark's hands went from Haechan's cheeks to his waist where he grabbed them and pulled Haechan
onto his lap. Despite what their position might've suggested, neither of them was feeling needy,
lustful. The kisses they shared were out of desire to feel connected to one another and not to feel
their bodies against each other.

Mark gasped for air when they parted. He opened his eyes to see Haechan smiling down at him.
The latter was playing with one of Mark's hair strands, twirling it around his finger. Mark giggled
but let him, instead taking Haechan's free hand to plant some soft kisses onto it.

"I like kissing you." Haechan stated. Mark broke out in laughter and said in between his giggles
"So do I. You have very kissable lips."

"Too bad, you're not allowed to kiss me." Haechan said, half-serious, half-joking. Mark hummed
and grinned "Yeah, too bad."

Haechan bent down again and reconnected their lips. Mark closed his eyes and smiled into the
kiss. He loved the way Haechan would find their rhythm immediately, loved the way he let out
little sighs of content, loved the way he tasted.

"We should stop." Mark said despite his heart screaming at him not to. Haechan nodded in
understanding and gave him a sad smile "I'll miss your lips."

"Me too." Mark said and let Haechan off his lap. The two went back to sitting next to each other,
still close but too far. Mark tried to concentrate on the rest of the episode but failed to do so. His
mind was still clouded from their kisses and he could almost feel Haechan's lips still on his own.

The next few days passed by too fast for Mark. Both of them could feel that whatever they were
having affected them. Or at least Mark would guess so since he caught Haechan staring at him
longingly a couple of times. With each time, Mark wanted to resist less and less.

One day the two had cuddled onto the couch again. They were watching a documentary to help
Haechan understand more about Korea's history in the past decades. The android was once again
sitting close to Mark and had his hand laid onto Mark's thigh. The older noticed but didn't say
anything, not wanting to disturb Haechan from taking in new information. Or at least that was his
excuse because damn, he liked the feeling of Haechan's little hand warming his thigh.

The peace got disturbed very suddenly. A loud bang was heard and both of them jumped and
turned to the door which had been the cause of the disturbance.

At the door stood Taeyong and as soon as Mark recognised him, all his alarms were ringing. He
immediately stood up from the couch and walked towards the man who was lazily leaning against
the door frame, obviously not caring about his entrance without permission.

"Nice to see you again, Mark." he greeted.

"What do you want?" Mark replied, not returning Taeyong's arrogant smile. The mafia leader
grinned and pointed at Haechan. It took Mark about three seconds to comprehend and read the
gesture. His face fell as he realised what was about to happen.

"Your little time together is over. I know you have taught Haechan well by now. If not it's too bad
and he will have to learn on the streets for himself." Taeyong said and took a step aside, revealing
Yuta and Jaehyun.

Neither of them were smiling. Not Mark had expected them to but it was intimidating. Taeyong let
them pass into the apartment, neither of them greeting Mark.

"You better tell him goodbye." Taeyong sneered. Mark let out an angry huff and turned to look at
Haechan who was now standing beside Jaehyun and Yuta.

"Mark? What's going on?" he asked. The fear in his voice broke the man's heart. He took a dee
breath and said "Haechan, our time is over together. I told you, you'll now be working for
Taeyong."

"I don't want to go." Haechan said, his voice angry and confused. Mark gave him a sad smile "I
don't want you to go either."

"Can't I just stay here?" Haechan asked Taeyong. The latter shook his head "I'm afraid not. I need
you, Haechan. You knew this was coming and I assure you that working for me will be even better
than living with Mark."

"That's not possible!" Haechan exclaimed. Everyone, including Mark, was taken aback by the
android's outburst. Mark could see Haechan clenching his fist. To bring him under control, Jaehyun
grabbed him by the side harshly. Mark wanted to kick him into the balls for touching Haechan so
aggressively however he stayed back. He knew he couldn't win against Jaehyun, especially with
Yuta and Taeyong present as well.
"Let me go!" Haechan yelled at Jaehyun who only looked down at him unimpressed. Mark could
tell by his flexed arm though that he had trouble keeping Haechan calm.

"Don't be too aggressive with him." he told Jaehyun.

"Yes, don't get too aggressive with me." Haechan repeated and ripped his arm free.

"Listen, we don't want to cause any trouble. Just come with us and all will be fine, Haechan."
Taeyong told the android who only shook his head eagerly and repeated "I want to stay here, I
want to stay here." over and over again.

Mark's heart hurt at the sight. Never ever had he seen Haechan throw a tantrum like this which
must mean that Haechan was feeling very overwhelmed right now. He looked like a caged animal
rejecting it's tamers.

"Please, don't hurt him." Mark told Taeyong who only gave him a pitiful smile and said "Don't care
too much for him Mark. Know your boundaries."

The younger clenched his jaw, feeling an unbelievable amount of rage boiling up in him. All he
wanted was to give Taeyong and Jaehyun a kick in the nuts each and for Haechan to get treated
with respect.

"I said don't hurt him." he growled as he saw Jaehyun once again tightly gripping Haechan's arm.
However it seemed as if his words were useless, not because Jaehyun wouldn't listen to him but
because Haechan gave Jaehyun a punch in the jaw with his free hand.

Jaehyun tumbled backwards a few steps, rubbing the spot where Haechan's fist had met his face.
Everyone else just stared at Haechan stunned. Even Haechan himself seemed surprised by the
action but swiftly did the same to Yuta before walking up to Taeyong.

"I will stay here." he said calmly, scaring Mark with his tone. Even Taeyong seemed to have
gained respect as he took a step back. Mark analysed the man's face which despite being calm he
could see the interest and a slight hint of panic in Taeyong's eyes.

Mark's eyes went back to Haechan and then to behind the android where Jaehyun stood. Mark's
eyes widened as he watched Jaehyun's hand come closer to Haechan's left ear.

"Haechan watch out!" he yelled but it was too late. Jaehyun pressed the button and Haechan
immediately closed his eyes, his body stiffening.

"What a shame." Taeyong said. Mark turned to the man and gave him a punch. He didn't even
know why, maybe out of frustration, anger or even intuition.

"Oh, you shouldn't have done this." Taeyong said after letting out a curse. Mark knew the man was
right but he didn't care, it felt good having punched Taeyong.

"Let him stay." he said, cocking his head towards the still body of Haechan. Taeyong made a 'tsk'-
noise and then said "No, I don't think so."

"I said let him stay." Mark repeated himself and gave Taeyong another punch. This one didn't catch
the man off guard like the first one however Taeyong still had been too slow to react so despite
moving away, Mark's fist still hit his jaw.

"Mark, that's enough!" Taeyong said, squinting his eyes at the younger who was still boiling with
anger.
"No, I won't stop until you let Haechan stay!" Mark replied. He knew he was talking dumb shit
however his desire and feelings for Haechan were finally showing.

"Ugh fine." Taeyong said. Mark stared at him in surprise but hissed as something dug into his neck
out of the blue. He turned his head to see Yuta smiling a dirty grin. His hand went to his neck
where he felt a needle injecting something.

"No." he whispered. Yuta nodded and caught his body as his limbs went stiff. He could see the
red-haired man mouthing the words 'good night' before his vision went black.
 Chapter 15

Mark woke up in a small room. He groaned at the bright fluorescent light hitting his eyes and
blinked a few times before his vision went back to normal. Feeling his whole body hurt, he had
trouble sitting up. However he managed to do so after a bit and looked around the room. It didn't
have windows and only one heavy looking door.

Nothing else was in the room except for the bed Mark was sitting on and another white plastic
chair. The man let his body lay back and stared at the ceiling. Slowly the memories of the previous
events started to flood his mind. Haechan's screams, Taeyong arguing with them and finally Yuta's
face before Mark fainted. He raised his arm to his neck and felt the spot where the syringe had
injected him with something.

He didn't know what it was neither did he know for how long he was out or where he was now. To
say he was freaking out would be a bit of an understatement. He stood up on his legs, feeling a bit
wobbly. Walking over to the door, he prayed that it was unlocked but as he grabbed the handle and
pulled it down, the door didn't move.

Mark let out a frustrated sigh, feeling himself tearing up in panic. His nails were digging into the
palms of his hands, the pain working as a bittersweet stress reliever.

He walked back to the bed and sat down onto it. Because the room was all white and the light of
the fluorescent lamp reflected well on the walls, Mark couldn't go back to sleep either. He closed
his eyes nonetheless, taking deep breaths to calm himself down further. It worked semi-well and
Mark's brain was finally awake enough to think of a solution, of a way out of this room.

Since there was no window he couldn't escape through that. The walls were made out of brick and
trying to destroy it would be useless as well. So the only way out was through the door. It was a
heavy metal door, painted white just like everything else in the room. It had a handle, however no
key hole, probably just on the other side of the door.

He stared at the door for god knows how long. His eyes were getting heavy however he refused to
fall back asleep since it would be a risk of missing someone entering the room.

The time dragged out. Mark had no idea for how long he had been awake now. It could be a few
minutes, half an hour or several hours. To not go insane while staring at the door he hummed a
song. It was the song he and Haechan had been singing at the breakfast table a bit ago. Now all he
could think of was Haechan's handsome and pretty face, his doll-like lips singing moving along
with the lyrics. Mark smiled at the memory which he was now so fond of.

He wondered where the android was now. Surely he was with Taeyong, maybe with Kun and
Yangyang as well. Mark just hoped they wouldn't hurt him. He wouldn't be able to bear the
thought of Haechan getting hurt because of his own and Mark's stubbornness.

All of the sudden, the man heard voices behind the door. He lifted his head up and stared at the
entrance, awaiting for the person on the other side to unlock the door. His whole body tensed as he
feverishly tried to come up with a way to escape.

However as the door opened he quickly realised that any plans of escape would fail immediately.
Yuta was standing in the entrance, leaning against the doorframe while looking at Mark with a
smirk.
"You're awake again, I see." he noted and then turned his head to look at someone who Mark
couldn't see. Yuta gave the person a nod and then walked into the room.

"Don't even try to run away. I have a gun and permission to kill you if I want to." he noted coldly.
Mark gulped and nodded, getting off the bed. Yuta came up to him and grabbed his arms, cuffing
his hands immediately. Mark wasn't surprised but still hissed at the action and the tight metal
around his wrists. He could hear Yuta chuckle but told himself to stay calm and collected so he just
followed Yuta out the room.

Behind the door another familiar face was waiting for him. The pretty woman gave Mark a sweet
smile, however Mark couldn't return it but instead felt his insides twist at the sight of her.

"Akira." he said, giving her an acknowledging nod. She tilted her head and said "Hello Mark.
Follow me."

He did, now walking in between Yuta and Akira. He could see a gun holster hanging around
Akita's waist and very likely Yuta was carrying a gun as well. None of them said a word and Mark
just walked with them through the hallway which was lit by more fluorescent lights above their
heads.

They arrived at another heavy looking door which Akira pulled open. They entered a new room,
this time however Mark recognised it. It was the same room he had been meeting Kun and
Yangyang in for the first time.

Speaking of the two, they were currently talking with Taeyong across the room. Mark's blood froze
at the sight of the man. He felt his legs going weak and if it wasn't for Yuta pushing him forward,
he would've just stayed at the entrance.

"Mr. Lee, we got the boy." Akira yelled, gaining everyone's attention. Mark furrowed his eyes at
Akira calling her, presumably, boss Mr. Lee but then again this was a mafia after all.

Taeyong excused himself from Kun and Yangyang who Mark could see were exchanging looks.
The mafia leader however already had his back turned to them and walked over to Mark and the
two japanese.

"Had a good sleep?" Taeyong asked but didn't let Mark answer as he immediately told Yuta after
"Bring him to Haechan, I'll be there in a minute."

Yuta nodded and grabbed Mark's arm, pulling him away from Taeyong and Akira who were now
talking in japanese. Mark winced at Yuta's tight grip, however made sure to not show any of his
pain. Instead he was feeling joy at the words that Taeyong had spoken. He was about to see
Haechan again, talk with him. Maybe the two could somehow escape from here.

Yuta brought him into a smaller room off the side. It looked like a conference room with just a big
screen as well as a table and a few chairs around it. One the one side Kun, Yangyang and Haechan
were seated. Mark was about to greet them but then he noticed that Haechan's eyes were shut and
his body was still, indicating that he was in the deep sleep mode.

So Mark kept his mouth shut, only giving Kun and Yangyang a nod. Yuta pushed him down into
one of the chairs and handcuffed his one hand to the chair so he was bound to it. It left Mark
relatively unfazed as his eyes were back again on Haechan.

The android looked fine. His hair was slightly disheveled but apart from that he looked just normal.
He was even still wearing the clothes he had been wearing when Mark saw him the last time.
Jaehyun entered the room and sat down next to Mark and they were all waiting in silence for
Taeyong. Mark took the time to look around. He could see a keyboard in front of Kun. It was wired
to the TV screen. Mark's eyes fell back onto Haechan and now he noticed that the android was
linked up, one wire connecting him to the PC under the TV screen. He bit his lip in anxiety. What
was going on? Why was he here to sit with them if they would just change Haechan's settings,
perhaps resetting him.

Finally Taeyong entered the room and sat down on the last free chair. He sighed loudly, rubbing
his temples. His eyes found Jaehyun's and the latter gave Taeyong a little smile. Mark raised his
eyebrows at the little gesture but once again kept his mouth shut.

"Thank you Kun and Yangyang for taking your time. I know it's precious so I appreciate it. Now as
you might know, our little Haechannie here" Taeyong spoke and cocked his head into Haechan's
direction "He got a bit too attached to his teacher."

Kun and Yangyang both looked at Mark. Kun's face was neutral, confused at most. Yangyang
however was wearing a smile. Mark could tell he was hiding something but he had no idea what.
The whole situation just felt too weird and eerie, making Mark be on the edge of his seat. His
muscles tensed and he took a deep breath to calm himself down. For Haechan.

"Mark, what do you think went wrong that Haechan got so attached to you? And the other way
around as well. Everyone here can tell that all you want is to free Haechan. Why is that?" Taeyong
asked.

Mark gulped, looking into his lap. He felt all eyes on him as he weakly replied "I don't know.
Maybe it's because I was the first person I got to know?"

"I did warn you to not get attached, didn't I?" Taeyong questioned. Mark nodded and mumbled a
quiet "Yes." He felt scared and embarrassed and intimidated all at the same time. He knew
Taeyong was doing it on purpose, just to fuck with him. And it was working.

"And you still got attached. Pathetic. But tell me, Mark. How close were you? Was he a roommate,
a friend, or even more?" the mafia leader asked.

"A friend I would say." Mark replied, trying his best to not sound like he was about to cry. He was
only semi-successful which made Jaehyun chuckle. Mark raised his head a little to see the
handsome man giving him an arrogant smile.

"A friend, huh?" Taeyong sneered. He pointed at the keyboard which Kun slid over to him. The
leader typed in a few words and Mark's face went to the big screen. Taeyong clicked on a file and
Mark gulped as he saw a video popping up. But not just any video, it was the video. The one video
nobody should have ever seen, that he shouldn't have even taken in the first place.

Remorsefully, he watched him and Haechan talk on the screen. The situation quickly heated up and
Mark turned his head to not look at the scene unfolding. He could however still hear his and
Haechan's moans. It felt humiliating knowing that everyone but him was now watching this, one of
his and Haechan's most intimate moments.

To his relief, Taeyong soon stopped the video. He looked at Mark with an amused face and asked
again "A friend, huh?" The younger stayed muted, wanting to cry out of embarrassment and
humiliation.

"Anyway, I hope now you guys understand how close the two actually are. I already had sensed it
but I thought a warning from my side would be enough for Mark to stop this thing from going on.
Obviously it wasn't and Haechan is now very attached to him just like the other way around."
Taeyong explained.

"And what are you suggesting we do?" asked Jaehyun. His deep voice, even though soothing,
sounded scarily calm. No emotions whatsoever, Mark thought.

"That's why I asked for Kun and Yangyang to join us. I would like to ask the two of you if there is
a possibility we erase all memories of Mark from Haechan's brain without deleting his gained
knowledge?"

Mark gasped at Taeyong's words but he wasn't the only one who was caught off guard. Both Kun
and Yangyang looked surprised as well. Only Jaehyun seemed unfazed and distant once again,
merely giving Taeyong a curious look.

"You want us to do what?" Yangyang asked, his tone somewhere between scared and interested.
Kun next to him was biting his lip, his eyes on Haechan who was still in his deep sleep state with
his head down and eyes closed.

"To wipe out Haechan's memories. Is that possible?" Taeyong repeated himself. Yangyang fiddled
with his fingers while Kun took back the keyboard. He opened a file which Mark already knew
would direct him to Haechan's 'Settings'. He had used it before to adjust Haechan's sleeping
schedule.

"I believe the only way it's possible for him to forget only specific memories is if we do it
psychologically." Kun set. The mouse was hovering over the reset button, making Mark feel very
nervously. He knew that if Kun accidentally clicked now, all of Haechan would be gone just like
that.

"What do you mean psychologically?" Jaehyun asked, leaning forward in curiosity while staring at
the screen.

"See, all of Haechan's memories are stored in one database. The knowledge he had before Mark
activated him for the first time is stored in another. They are separate. Basically there is one part
which is android and one part that is human." Kun explained.

Everyone was quiet as Kun showed them the two different data files. Mark was fascinated at the
thought that they were literally accessing Haechan's brain now. However he noticed a third file
which was simply titled "Donghyuck."

He wasn't the only one to notice. Taeyong as well had seen it and asked "What's the third file?"

Kun and Yangyang looked at each other. None of them were saying a word and Mark had a feeling
that they had just discovered something the two scientists wanted to keep hidden.

"Kun. Answer me. What's the third file?" Taeyong repeated himself, his tone more urgent and
aggressive now.

"There might be a few things we haven't told you, Taeyong." Kun said and cleared his throat. He
once again exchanged looks with Yangyang. Mark stared at the younger's pained smile, totally
confused as well as very scared about what was going on. Yangyang must have sensed Mark's eyes
on him as he locked their eyes for a moment. Yangyang gave him a sad smile before looking down.

"What exactly might those things be? What's going on?" Taeyong asked, now slamming his hand
onto the table. Mark as well as Yangyang flinched at the loud and sudden noise.
"Haechan is not as android as you might think he is." Yangyang mumbled.

"He is what?" Taeyong asked lowly.

"Let me explain." Kun suggested. Mark could tell he wanted to take responsibility, showing his
care for Yangyang. If it wasn't for the serious situation, Mark would have found Kun's behaviour
cute.

"The floor is yours." Jaehyun chirped in, sounding almost amused at the turn of events. Mark could
see Taeyong rolling his eyes at the man, however still smiling at Jaehyun's tone.

"We lied to you about Haechan's origins. We didn't create him. His body is a human body." Kun
started. Mark choked on air loudly and Jaehyun gave him a harsh nudge into the side, commanding
"Be quiet."

"It happened during a shooting on the streets. It was Yangyang's first day in Nct and he found that
one of the people who got shot during the shooting was actually still alive. Being the stubborn boy
he is, he brought the boy to me. He begged me to save him which I wasn't really sure I could do.
We put him into a coma but the boy's brain was already internally bleeding. Yangyang suggested a
new, untested method he and I had been working on for your android plans, Taeyong. Basically
you extract a part of someone's brain, convert it into actual data that can be saved on any computer.
However we only managed to extract the personality part as well as a bit of knowledge from the
boy's brain before it went dead. We saved the data and created a file." Kun told them. Everyone
was quiet, stunned by the story the man was telling them.

"Taeyong, you were pressuring us a lot to get going with the work on the android thing so out of
desperation and to satisfy you we took a prototype of a brain we created for an android and
swapped it with Haechan's. Beforehand we uploaded the files onto it. Two databases, one with the
basic knowledge and the other one with the boy's personality. That one was the one titled
Donghyuck because we later found out the boy's name was Donghyuck. Lee Donghyuck. We were
very scared you would find out so we did a few tests but Haechan seemed to be fine. So we
informed you we had finally created the android and you believed us. We didn't expect for you to
take him from us so soon but there was nothing that we could do." Kun finished his story.

A silence spread through the room. A silence so loud and so powerful Mark forgot how to breathe.
All the eyes were on Taeyong who only leaned forward a bit and said "You two will be dead
before the morning."
 Chapter 16

Mark gulped. His heart started beating fast. He wanted to jump up and run, just run away from all
this to have peace and silence to process all the information Kun had just given them. However this
peace never came.

"Taeyong." Jaehyun said, his voice slightly raised. The mentioned man now turned to his right
hand and Mark could see the man's jaw clenching.

"Jaehyun, I hope you don't suggest I will keep them alive after what they did." the man replied.
Jaehyun shook his head and said "No, I don't. What they did was inexcusable and lying to you
should result in their death. However it would be stupid if you to kill them before they completed
the process of making an actual android which I know they have gotten closer to the goal in the
past few weeks."

Taeyong narrowed his eyes at Jaehyun. Mark couldn't tell whether it was because he questioned
Jaehyun or was just thinking about what he had said. Either way the mafia leader looked extremely
scary. Mark had to admire Jaehyun for just blankly staring back at the man without feeling
intimidated.

"I'll think about it." Taeyong said briefly after a minute or so of complete silence. Yangyang and
Kun both sighed in relief and Mark could see the younger of the two having teary eyes.

"Now what do you suggest we do about these two?" Taeyong asked Jaehyun and motioned towards
Mark and Haechan.

"Mark, I believe we can get rid off. He's a waste, we don't need him anymore." Jaehyun said
coolly. Mark felt himself tremble at the words. A heat rose in his throat as a sudden urge of
throwing up overcame him. He gulped, desperately trying to control his breathing.

"If I could make a suggestion?" Kun asked carefully. His voice was steady but quiet. It wasn't
enough to cover Mark's heavy pants upon practically hearing his death sentence. Desperately he
balled his fists, digging his nails into his palms for at least some sort of grounding.

"Go ahead." Taeyong told Kun who cleared his throat and said "I know this is a lot to ask for after
what we have done but I would like to keep both Haechan and Mark alive. Haechan because he
will obviously help us understand more about the prototype of the brain that we used and Mark
because he has experience in teaching Haechan and knows what we have been missing on.
Obviously if I had to choose one I would chose Haechan though."

Mark looked at Kun who gave him a quick, apologetic smile. Mark wasn't mad at him, couldn't be.
It was all their lives on the line and Kun already took a huge risk by asking Taeyong for such a
thing.

Taeyong now used the same, intimidating look on his face to eye Kun up and down, evaluating his
sincerity. Mark himself could only watch. He had no idea if Kun was for real with what he said or
if he just wanted to save Mark and Haechan. Either way Mark felt incredibly grateful for the
gesture.

"Why do I have the feeling that you're just trying to get all four of you out of this alive?" Taeyong
sneered, arrogantly raising one eyebrow at the scientist.

"I am certainly trying to get myself out alive." Kun admitted. "However, what I said was true.
Without Mark but especially Haechan all our progress will be lost." he added and kept his eye
contact with Taeyong. Mark internally applauded him for his courage because the mafia leader
literally looked like he could kill at any second.

"And how do I know you won't lie to me again?" he asked Kun who finally averted his eyes but
replied "My life isn't worth taking that risk."

This seemed to convince Taeyong who leaned back in his chair again, looking around at all of
them before finally laying his eyes on Jaehyun who kept their eye contact. Mark could see that
they were communicating through their eyes but he couldn't possibly decipher what about.

In the end Jaehyun raised one eyebrow and Taeyong nodded, turning back to Kun again. "Fine. But
I will have people watching over you at all times. If any of you does just one wrong move, they're
dead. Especially you, Mark."

Mark nodded, averting his gaze from Taeyong who raised up from his chair. He called for Yuta to
enter the room. The japanese came in and Taeyong whispered something into his ear before
leaving. Yuta nodded and walked over to Mark, undoing his handcuffs just to put them back on
both his hands again. The younger didn't even try to resist, knowing it would just get him killed. As
Yuta dragged him out, Mark turned his head one last time to look at Kun, Yangyang and Jaehyun.
All of them were wearing serious looks on their face, Yangyang looking more scared than anything
though.

Yuta clicked with his tongue, aggressively pulling Mark away farther. Mark yelped in pain but the
scary look on Yuta's face was enough to silence him. He kept his head low as Yuta and him
crossed the room and went back to the hallway. The japanese opened Mark's handcuffs before
opening one door and pushing Mark into it, immediately locking the door behind him again.

"Jesus Christ, at least warn me." Mark mumbled against the locked door. He turned around to see a
similar room to the one he had woken up in. This room though had a shelf with nothing in it and a
second door. Mark opened it to find a small bathroom with a toilet and a sink. He scrunched his
nose in discomfort at the tiny space and exited as fast as possible. He laid himself onto the bed and
closed his eyes, letting the past events play by again.

Haechan was fine. That was the most important thing. He hadn't looked hurt, they probably hadn't
even turned him back on again. Mark clenched his jaw at the thought of the amount of pain
Haechan must be feeling when he was finally turned on again. Now slowly Mark was grasping the
full meaning of Kun's explanation.

He didn't know whether to feel relieved or scared if he was being honest to himself. One the one
hand, it felt good knowing Haechan wasn't just an android but actually had a human's personality
and a human body. On the other hand that meant he was just human enough to get hurt.

Mark still tried to understand the concept of Haechan having a "fake" brain. Yangyang and Kun
must've been literal geniuses to implant it into a human body in a coma. Now all this left Mark with
one question? Was Haechan now considered an android still or was he human enough to be one?

Thinking about it made Mark's brain hurt. His mind simply couldn't fully grasp the whole
situation. It was too absurd, too strange to be true. Or was it?

At least Mark felt as if he hadn't gotten insane for having feelings for Haechan. Which kind, he
hadn't even figured out by the time he still thought Haechan was fully android and now everything
was in shambles anyway. The only thing Mark could say for sure was that he liked Haechan, as a
roommate, as a friend and maybe as a sexual partner as well. He just couldn't deny their shared
bond.

Without realising a smile had crept onto Mark's lips, spreading until it made Mark's cheeks hurt.
He giggled but immediately stopped. He was going insane, he thought to himself. His life was
literally on the line and all he could think about was if his feelings for Haechan were valid or not.

The man scoffed at himself and turned on the bed, staring at the white painted ceiling above.
When he closed his eyes he could see Haechan's smiley, bright face in front of him. His big puppy
eyes, his pouty lips and the tan cheeks which were framed by the hazelnut brown hair. He was so
beautiful, Mark thought.

He wanted nothing more than to have the smaller with him, being able to hold him, letting him
cuddle into Mark's side or intertwine their fingers. He let out a little whine at the thought of
Haechan's small hand on his thigh or his pretty pink lips on his own.

With that image in mind, Mark doze off. He woke up and went right back to sleep right after. There
was nothing to stay awake for since he would most likely be called when he was needed. For the
rest of the time he just tried his best to not go insane, mostly by imagining himself and Haechan
together, somewhere far off. Away from Taeyong, away from Nct, away from all this trouble.

His desires followed him into his dreams. There he would spend his time with Haechan in their
own big house. Yoonji would jump around them, Haechan giggling at her like he would always do.
Mark would hug Haechan tightly by the waist, never letting go of him like he was a treasure Mark
had to protect from thieves.

Or they would sit outside on a balcony, cuddled together into a hammock. Both of them were
sleepy but neither of them wanted to go to sleep just to treasure their precious time.

His blissful dreams ended when Yuta loudly entered the room. Mark jumped up, still half-asleep,
and looked at the japanese man who gave him a cold smile.

"Go use the toilet and then come back. You're needed." he instructed and Mark nodded, quickly
disappearing into the bathroom. He had no idea how long he slept, it must have been five hours at
least.

He went back to Yuta who once again handcuffed him. Mark clenched his jaw at the metal rubbing
against his already sore and pinkish skin. Wordlessly he followed Yuta out of the room and down
the hallway again. They went back to the big room which was growing more familiar with each
time Mark passed by it. Then they went into the conference room where Kun was sitting,
frantically typing on the keyboard. Mark's eyes went to both sides of the working man. To his left
was Yangyang who had his head buried in his arms. Through his bangs Mark could see
Yangyang's closed eyes. He was asleep. On Kun's other side was Haechan, on the chair he had
been sitting on a few hours prior. Mark doubted they had woken him up yet.

Yuta motioned for Mark to sit down on the other side of the table in front of Kun. The man gave
Mark and Yuta a brief nod before his eyes went back to the screen. Yuta once again tied Mark to
the chair and then resided at the entrance of the room where another chair had been placed.

Since the japanese was a bit farther away, Mark leaned over the table and quietly asked Kun "Hey,
are you alright?"

The male looked up at Mark, first in surprise but then with a small and tired looking smile. He
nodded and answered "Yes. Well as alright as one can be in this situation. I've been working ever
since you left. Yangyang fell asleep and I convinced Yuta to let him. He has been watching us the
whole time."

"How much time has passed?" Mark questioned. Kun shrugged and replied "I would guess around
six or seven hours. It's three a.m. after the pc's clock."

Mark checked the screen and indeed it was just a few minutes after three. No wonder Yangyang
was sleeping then. It was quiet in the room afterwards as Mark watched Kun finish some coding
before the older male finally spoke up again.

"So I asked Yuta to bring you here because I have a few questions about Haechan." he informed
Mark who nodded for him to go on.

"First of all, what was his state of waking up? I know you filmed bits but I need to know how much
knowledge he had from the beginning on?" Kun inquired.

"Oh, he touched my nose. Like that was the first thing he did when I turned him on." Mark said, a
smile ghosting on his lips at the memory. He continued on "And then afterwards we talked for a
bit. It was weird because he knew all the vocabulary but didn't know the objects the vocabulary
belongs to. So I had to teach him but I also let him watch videos. He's a pretty quick learner."

Kun nodded along with his story, noting down bullet points on the computer. Mark watched as the
korean letters appeared on the screen. It was silent again and Mark looked at Kun who had his
head tilted, obviously deep in thoughts.

"What about his database? How much did he use it?" the older man now asked. Mark had to think
about that question for a while but eventually told Kun “He mostly used the vocabulary. I don't
know what else is in the database but most of the things he told me about he learned with the
videos I showed him."

Again Kun nodded and noted the main points down. The typing mixed with the warm and stuffy
air in the room and Yangyang's snores made Mark sleepy as well even though he had slept a lot in
the past day or so.

"Are you not tired?" he asked Kun who tilted his head and said "I am but we have to keep working
and I don't want to wake up Yangyang yet. He needs all the sleep he can get because he has been
even more stressed out than me."

Mark hummed and let his eyes travel to Haechan whose head was still hanging low. He couldn't
help but pity Haechan for being stuck not only in deep sleep but also in this position. When the
android would wake up the next time his neck must be chronically bent, Mark thought.

"Can you lean Haechan's head back?" he requested. Kun hummed a 'sure' and pulled Haechan's
chair so the back of the chair was just a few inches away from the wall. Then he leaned Haechan's
head against the wall. Mark couldn't help but smile a little as he finally could see Haechan's face
clearly despite a few strands of his fluffy hair falling into his face.

"You like him, don't you?" Kun asked quietly. Mark looked at the man, feeling exposed as he
hadn't expected Kun to catch his adoring facial expression.

"Quite. He is such a cutie, honestly. I'm so glad he has a personality and he has that personality
because whoever personality that is, they made my life so much happier." Mark ranted, thinking
about Haechan's sass but his adorable cuddles and witty personality as well.

"Yangyang said when he did his research on who Donghyuck was, you know the boy who's body
Haechan is in and who's personality he has, Yangyang found out that he was an orphan living on
the streets. Liked by many people around the center area because apparently he was already to help
someone out." Kun noted.

"I have never seen him around. In fact I wholeheartedly believed you and Yangyang created him.
This whole time I was so shocked by how close he resembled an actual human being." Mark said,
letting out a small chuckle at the end. Kun smiled sadly.

"What are you guys saying?" Yuta asked loudly from across the room. Mark jumped slightly, he
had almost completely forgotten that Yuta was watching them.

"I was just asking him questions about Haechan's behaviour." Kun assured Yuta and went back to
typing stuff down.

After a few minutes Kun took his note block which had been laying by his side the whole time and
scribbled down a few words. Mark was watching him in silence, not knowing neither particularly
caring about what Kun was doing. He felt his own eyes become droopy again, his breaths
becoming slow.

Kun finished his note and kicked Mark's leg under the table. The younger yelped but Kun laid his
finger on his lips, signaling for him to be quiet. Then he looked down at the note he had written.
Mark followed his eyes and squinted, trying to decipher Kun's handwriting as it was upside down.

From what he could tell the note said "I'll get us out of here. Don't worry." Mark opened his mouth
to ask about it but Kun got ahead of him and loudly told Yuta "You can take Mark back now, thank
you."

Yuta nodded and Mark sighed, getting ready for the by now familiar procedure. This whole time
however his thoughts were with Kun's note which the man had already scribbled over, making the
words illegible.

Was Kun for real? Was there a way to get out of here? Safe and with all of them alive? Mark
doubted it but there wasn't much he could do anyways besides waiting so that's what he did for the
next few days. Waiting, waiting and even more waiting in his white room or with Kun and
Yangyang in the stuffy conference room.
 Chapter 17

The concept of time didn't seem to work while they were held captive. Mark couldn't possibly say
how many days he had spent down here already. His best guess was five to six days but ever since
Taeyong had moved Kun to another room, letting them only talk under the supervision of Yuta or
Akira, Mark didn't know.

He would wake up, wash up, go to the conference room, talk with Kun and Yangyang and then go
back to his boring room. Haechan wasn't present anymore either, leaving Mark with nothing else
than a feeling of depression was constantly clouding his mind.

In the first few days Mark still had the hopes of an escape after having read Kun's promising
words. But as time passed by he lost hope more and more until literally all he wanted was to fall
asleep and not wake up anymore to the bright, cold fluorescent lights above his head.

The cycle of depressing days got broken once Yuta entered Mark's room once again. Mark,
thinking Yuta was just going to call him for more questions, sighed and raised himself off the bed.
Obediently he crossed his hands behind his back, for Yuta to put handcuffs on them. The japanese
man did so without a word, once again dragging Mark out his room, or rather cell if Mark thought
about it. It did feel like it, that's for sure.

"Be happy, you're gonna see your little buddy talking today." Yuta snickered, obviously amused by
Mark's depressed mood.

The younger man raised his head at Yuta's words. He was curious as to what exactly he meant with
those words. Would he finally see Haechan being conscious again? Could he finally talk to him
again?

His hopes got higher when he could hear Yangyang's, now lively, voice from the conference room.
Yuta opened the door and pushed Mark in who scrunched his nose but immediately looked up to
see if Haechan was there. Indeed he was, sitting on one of the chairs. His clothes were changed and
his hair looked disheveled but Mark didn't care about that.

"Hey." he whispered, not taking his eyes off Haechan who met his eyes and then looked down with
a small smile on his lips.

"Hello Mark." Yangyang greeted him. The man gave him a nod before returning his eyes to
Haechan, scanning his face for any signs of him being hurt. Luckily he couldn't find any.

"I was just letting Haechan in on everything that has happened. Then I'll quickly talk to Kun and
then ask you a few questions." Yangyang informed Mark who nodded. He couldn't help but feel as
if Yangyang was trying to make excuses but he didn't really know what for.

"So do you have any more questions?" Yangyang now asked Haechan who cutely nodded and
looked at the scientist while asking "What happens to me when you have developed the actual
android?"

Yangyang gulped and avoided Haechan's eyes, instead looking at Yuta who had taken his usual
seat by the door and casually played with a gun in his hands. He seemingly wasn't paying attention
to what Yangyang and Haechan were talking about, much to Mark's relief.

"I don't know what will happen. But don't worry, I hope we won't be stuck here for too long."
Yangyang replied and then cleared his throat. He stood up from his chair, Mark noticed in jealousy
that Yangyang wasn't tied to it like he was. Yangyang walked over to Yuta and told him
something. The japanese nodded and stood up.

"You two stay exactly where you are while I bring Yangyang to Kun, okay?" he said and both
Mark and Haechan nodded eagerly.

Yuta hummed and then disappeared with Yangyang. Immediately Haechan stood up from his chair
and walked around the table to sit down next to Mark.

"Hey." Mark whispered despite not having any reason to. Haechan giggled quietly but replied
"Hello. I'm sorry for getting you into trouble. I hope Taeyong didn't punch you."

Mark furrowed his eyebrows and looked at Haechan in curiosity. He asked "Why would he?"

"You know, because we provoked him. At your house. Don't you remember?" Haechan replied,
seemingly confused as to why Mark would ask such a thing.

"But that was a week ago, silly." Mark told him and chuckled. A pink hue spread over Haechan's
cheeks as he whispered "Right, I forgot I was out for that long. To me, it literally happened an hour
ago because I don't have any memory of the past week."

"No worries." the older replied. With the hand that wasn't tied to the chair he took Haechan's and
intertwined their fingers. Knowing that he was actually touching human skin and that Haechan was
a human-being, at least in most ways, it made the whole experience of their touch so much more
intimate. Mark was now actually feeling like holding someone's hand and not just a robot.

"I missed you." he told Haechan who snorted and said "Of course you did. I would miss me too."

"Still as sassy as always, I see..." Mark noted. Haechan gave him a nudge into his side and asked
jokingly offended "What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Oh, nothing." Mark told him. Haechan didn't reply but instead just stared at their interlocked
fingers. Mark took the silence as an opportunity to admire Haechan's beautiful side profile.

"Donghyuck." he whispered. Haechan looked back up at him and Mark's eyes widened as he
realised that Haechan responded to that name.

"It's my old name." Haechan stated and Mark nodded, stunned by the smaller acting so calm about
something that was still boggling Mark's mind a week after he found out.

"Do you like it?" he asked to which Haechan tilted his head, obviously having to think about it.
After a few seconds of silence he answered "I think so? I know that he is me and I'm him but I
don't have any memory of being him. It's still a pretty name though, it reminds me of home? I don't
really know how to describe the feeling."

"That's okay, don't worry. I will keep on calling you Haechan if you're not okay with me calling
you Donghyuck." Mark assured him.

"I don't mind either name. I like the way it reminds me of home. You remind me of home as well.
But in contrast to the name Donghyuck I have actual memories with you. Like when we cuddled
on the couch or played with Yoonji." Haechan said.

"I miss her. Yoonji, I mean." Mark said, smiling a bittersweet smile at the thought of the all-black
cat.
"Do you think she will be alright?" the smaller asked him. Mark nodded and replied "Yeah, she's a
tough girl. She knows where her food is and she can always go hunt on the streets if she ever runs
out of it. She's probably wondering where her dads are though."

Haechan tilted his head slightly, asking "Who's her other dad?" Mark gave him a look of disbelief
"What do you mean? It's you obviously."

"Oh." Haechan hummed. He seemed to be taken aback by Mark's words as he averted his eyes into
his lap and gulped. Mark could see him blinking quite a lot and the glossy shine in Haechan's eyes
confirmed his suspicion.

He smiled and whispered "Please don't cry." while caressing the back of Haechan's hand with his
thumb.

"Sorry. I don't know why I'm so emotional while hearing that." Haechan whispered back and
sniffed. Mark giggled at his cuteness.

"You're just as adorable as always. Another thing that hasn't changed." he noted. He could see
Haechan breaking out into a smile and rolling his eyes. Mission succeeded.

Haechan looked at him and Mark got lost in his eyes again. He had missed them, the happy glint
and the galaxy they were holding within them.

"I want to kiss you right now." he blurted out. Immediately after he cursed himself for having
ruined the positive mood however Haechan didn't seem to feel that way as he only responded
"Why don't you?"

"What if Yuta comes back?" the older questioned skeptical but seeing Haechan's pout he gave in
without hesitation. He mumbled "I'm sure a little peck won't hurt" and then leaned over a bit to
connect their lips.

Feeling Haechan's soft lips on his own gave Mark the feeling of falling. He felt lost in space and
time, forgot about where they were as he pulled Haechan closer by the neck and let their lips move
in a steady rhythm.

It was a slow kiss, nothing rushed as they took their sweet time to get back the familiar feeling of
each other, the way they moved and the little pants that could be heard.

After a minute or so Haechan finally parted himself from Mark, cheeks flushed but with a happy
glint in his eyes. They had separated just in time as Yuta's footsteps could be heard and the man
appeared in the door frame just a few seconds later.

"What have you two been doing?" he asked suspiciously. Mark wondered whether their lips were
swollen enough to show that they had just been kissing. He hoped they weren't.

"Nothing." Haechan mumbled and Mark replied to Yuta's question "We were just talking. Are we
not allowed to?"

Yuta rolled his eyes and sat back down on his chair by the door, watching someone or something
outside. His hands were once again fiddling with his gun which made Mark nervous. He didn't like
knowing that for any wrong move he could get shot and potentially die.

"I don't like him one bit." Haechan noted. Mark nodded in agreement while angrily staring at Yuta
and cursing him for ruining their moment. Haechan as well was burning holes into Yuta's skull
with his eyes.
Mark giggled at him and ruffled the smaller's hair with his free hand. All of the sudden Yuta loudly
exclaimed "Hey!", causing Mark and Haechan to look at him. He was now standing and wasn't
even looking at them but at something outside the room.

"What's going on?" Haechan asked, more to Mark than to Yuta who couldn't hear them anyway.
Mark gulped, feeling a bit scared, and said "I don't know but don't worry. I'll protect you."

"Last time I checked you were the one being tied to a chair." Haechan snickered, causing Mark to
chuckle and roll his eyes despite his nervousness.

Some loud yells were heard outside and Yuta gave Mark and Haechan one last scrutinising look
before leaving the room, his gun in his hand.

"Haechanie, stay with me, okay?" Mark asked as he saw Haechan raising up from his chair.
Haechan hummed but stayed standing. Both of them stared at the door because despite not seeing
anything they could hear loud yells and more noises.

Suddenly someone bursted through the door. The man didn't seem familiar to Mark and Haechan
didn't seem to recognise him either. He was quite tall and tan with dark brown hair which was
falling into his face.

"Are you two Mark Lee and his friend? Sorry I don't know the name." the man asked the two who
stared at him in awe. Mark nodded slowly, gripping onto Haechan's hand.

"Great, come with me." the tall man exclaimed and waved them over. Haechan took a step forward
before remembering that Mark couldn't move from his chair.

"I'm kind of stuck to this." Mark said in a weak voice and pulled up his hand, making the handcuffs
visible. He was hesitant to trust this stranger since he could literally be anyone.

The tall man cursed and then told Haechan "You stay with him, I'll be right back." whilst pulling a
gun out of his jacket pocket. Haechan nodded at the man's order and sat back down, swiftly taking
Mark's hand into his own. They were both sweating but neither of them cared right now.

Mark tensed open hearing more loud yells, followed by a gunshot. Since the man had left the door
ajar they could barely even see what was going on. A few more yells and then the tall man
returned. He rushed into the room and threw the door shut before hurrying over to Mark and
handing him a key. Mark took it, quietly thanking the man who was now keeping an eye on the
closed door.

"You better hurry up! We don't have much time." the stranger told them and Mark could see that he
was still gripping his gun.

"I'm trying." Mark said, gritting his teeth and with the help of Haechan he finally freed himself
from the tight metal. He and Haechan quickly stood up, Mark massaging his sore wrist whilst
following the stranger to the door. The tall man held them back before opening the door and
checking if they could go.

The area seemed to be clear as he motioned for Haechan and Mark to follow him out the door. The
three hurriedly crossed the room which now looked chaotic and messy, with tables flipped to the
side and all the equipment spread all over the floor. Mark swiftly grabbed a gun from one of the
tables and handed it to Haechan before getting one himself. The tall man gave him an
acknowledging nod and the three arrived at the next door which led back to the hallway in which
Mark's room was also.
They opened this door as well and Mark had already turned for the direction of his room but the
stranger said firmly "No, this way."

Haechan gave Mark a questioning look, as if to ask if the man was trustworthy. Mark shrugged and
just followed the stranger. He, too, wasn't all too sure whether he could trust the tall male or not,
however the latter was making an effort to help them which gave Mark the impression he was here
to help.

They ran through the hallway until they were at another door. Mark and the stranger opened it and
Haechan ran through, going up the stairs that were on the other side. Mark followed him, the
stranger behind him.

At the end of the staircase was another door but this time without a door handle. Haechan scanned
the door and found a button which he pressed. The door opened up automatically and all three men
stormed through it.

Mark looked around and finally recognised the environment again. It was Taeyong's mansion, they
had been in the basement the whole time. Which Mark should have realised but somehow failed to
take notice of.

"I know the way." he told the other two who followed him through the spacious manor. It was all
quiet and empty, not a single soul in sight. It was relieving as well as scary and Mark had his gun
always ready in case it was needed.

"We need to go to the entrance hall. I know the way from there to the side entrance." the stranger
told them and Mark nodded, guiding them there.

Upon their arrival, the stranger took the lead again. They took a door off to the side of the main
hall and then through a long hallway until they had reached the end. The stranger walked into the
last room of the hallway. Mark could already see the outside through the windows. It was either
late evening or early morning as the sky was painted in a deep purple with pink shaded clouds.

"Come on!" the stranger shouted at Mark and Haechan who had been standing still, just staring at
the beautiful sky above and trying to catch their breaths. A door off to the one side of the room was
held open by the stranger and loud noises could be heard from outside. Mark grabbed Haechan's
arm and pulled him with him through the door.

A car was waiting on the other side and without thinking much, Mark jumped in. Haechan
followed and so did the tall stranger who however got in in the front.

The door was thrown shut and the car started. It lifted up in the air and Haechan, who had never
experienced flying in a car, helped out loud. Mark let go of his arm and now took Haechan's hand
in his own, whispering "It's okay, don't worry."

"My stomach feels weird." Haechan mumbled and Mark immediately let the window down.
Haechan leaned over and threw up, probably not only from the motion sickness but also his
exhaustion and anxiety.

Mark rubbed the smaller's back, trying to soothe his pain. Haechan whimpered a bit but leaned
back, wiping his mouth. He gave the tall stranger an apologetic look. But the man only made a
dismissive hand gesture and said "Happens to the best of us."

"To you certainly." a familiar voice said. Mark looked at the man who was navigating the car
through the air and his mouth fell agape as he recognised him.
"Ten? What the hell are you doing here?!" he asked in shock. He had expected many people to sit
in this car but not Johnny's boyfriend, that's for sure.
 Chapter 18

"Hello Mark. Long time no see." Ten greeted him. His eyes were out the front window, obviously
trying to avoid any crashes with other cars which were speeding through the air. Their bright lights
lightened up the dark sky.

"What's going on?" Haechan asked and at the same time the tall stranger said "You two know each
other?"

Ten nodded and told the man "He's a friend of Johnny. You remember my boyfriend?"

"Yes but what the hell are you doing here? Where is Johnny? And who is this?" Mark bombarded
the man with questions. He felt relieved by seeing a familiar face but at the same time had trouble
processing that Johnny's boyfriend was currently helping him escape from the mafia.

"How about I explain everything to you once we are safe? We lured most of the members into a
room and then put poisoned gas into it so we should be fine up here in the air. But I think there's a
few that we didn't get so I just want to arrive as quickly as possible so I know they will not track us
down." Ten said. Mark hummed in agreement and only wrapped his arm around Haechan who still
didn't seem to feel all too well.

"Do you need any pain meds?" the tall stranger asked Haechan, obviously feeling bad for him.

"No, thanks. I should be alright.." Haechan trailed off, not knowing the stranger's name. The man
caught onto that and chuckled before saying "You can call me Lucas."

"Thank you, Lucas." Haechan repeated and the man gave him a smile. Mark immediately felt a bit
jealous but also couldn't help but find Lucas very sympathetic and nice.

Haechan and Lucas chatted for a bit while Mark just looked out the window, looking down at the
streets under them which were dimly lit by neon signs on the outside and the lights shining through
the windows from the inside. Seeing as the sky got darker by the minute, Mark concluded it must
be late evening now,

The car settled down at an oh so familiar spot. It was right next to the market place where Johnny
had his store. Mark raised his eyebrows however chose to not comment. Instead he looked at
Haechan who was currently laughing at something Lucas had said. Seeing his eyes turning into
moon crescents and his nose scrunch up made Mark feel little butterflies in his stomach.

He knew he shouldn't be feeling these things towards Haechan which was why he mentally cursed
to himself and forbade himself to think about anything regarding his feelings towards the smaller
male.

Speaking of who, Haechan had now exited the car just like Ten and Lucas. Mark was the last one
to get out and watched as Ten opened up the front door while Lucas' eyes scanned the sky,
probably looking for any sign that they were being followed. Mark noticed that Lucas was still
holding his gun, always ready to shoot if needed.

Ten motioned for Haechan and Mark to go inside so both of them rushed and Lucas and Ten
followed, the latter closing and locking the door behind them.

It was dark in the apartment but as Ten turned the lights on Mark could see a small apartment
similar to his own. Ten walked over to one of the doors and knocked before entering, leaving Lucas
to be alone with the other two.

"This is Ten's apartment. We brought you here because Nct doesn't know about this place. To go
to our headquarters now would be too dangerous." Lucas told them. Mark tilted his head in
confusion. What headquarters was Lucas talking about?

Ten returned, this time with another tall man by his side. Mark's face lit up as he saw Johnny who
seemed sleepy however brightly smiled as soon as his eyes fell on Mark. The latter ran over to
Johnny and gave him a hug which Johnny replied to by only squeezing Mark's body tighter.

"Good to see you again, buddy." the tall man told Mark who nodded and finally let go of Johnny.
Looking him up and down, he had to hold back a giggle upon seeing that Johnny was still in
pyjamas.

"I have so many questions." Johnny told Ten and Mark turned to the man as well, adding "Yeah,
me too." Ten chuckled at the two and pointed to the couch.

"You all better sit down because this is a long story. I'll quickly say goodbye to Lucas and then I
can tell you everything." he said and then turned to Lucas who was leaning against the wall.

Mark, Haechan and Johnny all sat down on the couch, the latter watching his boyfriend with heart
eyes. Mark's eyes meanwhile were on Haechan who looked around in the apartment.

A window front took most of the wall's space. In front of it sat a couch which they were sitting on,
as well as a live chair. Behind them was the kitchen and there were three doors off to the side. One
was presumably leading to the bedroom, the second to the bathroom. Mark had no idea where the
third one was leading to.

Unlike Mark's apartment this one was sparsely furnished, not surprisingly as Johnny spent almost
all his time in his shop and Ten seemed to be quite busy too with whatever he was doing.

Speaking of the man, he did not return to the three. Lucas had left now and so it was just Ten,
Johnny, Haechan and Mark left. Ten sat down next to Johnny and the latter immediately put his
arm around his boyfriend's shoulder.

"So I guess I owe you an explanation." Ten said towards Mark and Haechan who both nodded,
anticipating what Ten was about to tell them.

"As I'm sure you two have caught up on, the Nct mafia has members who are scientists. This
special unit is called WayV and I used to be part of it. However, thanks to differences in opinions
me and a few other members of Nct quit the mafia life. For me it was heaven since I could finally
live with and support my boyfriend." Ten told them and in the end gave Johnny a smile. The tall
man pecked Ten's lips quickly before motioning for him to continue.

"The scientists who didn't leave were Kun and Yangyang. They stayed but we kept in contact as
much as we could without Taeyong's knowledge. Kun told me a lot about how stressed he was
with Taeyong's requests and that he felt like all the stress would cause something bad to happen.
Shortly after that message he didn't contact me anymore. At first I didn't think too much of it but
after a while I got suspicious. I hacked into Taeyong's security system and found out that Kun and
Yangyang were basically held hostage just like the two of you. It didn't take long for me to figure
out that you four were all there because of the same thing. I told Johnny about it and as you would
expect he urged me to free you, Mark." Ten told them and gave Mark a look. The latter smiled,
first at Ten and then at Johnny who gave him a wink.
"I told the other ex-members of WayV about it and they all agreed to free the four of you. Me and
Lucas got you and Haechan while my friends Hendery and Winwin freed Kun and Yangyang.
Another friend, his name is Xiaojun, was ready to stich up any wounds that would happen during
the mission. Yangyang is at his place right now actually but he will join us here in a bit. We have
to move around a lot to make sure Taeyong won't catch us." Ten finished his story.

"Wow, thank you. Really, I mean it hyung!" Mark said and went over to Ten to give him a hug.
Haechan followed his example, a bit more shy than Mark thought.

"All good. If I hadn't done it, Johnny would've beat my ass." Ten laughed. His boyfriend next to
him nodded and ruffled Ten's hair.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm really happy you're here and safe but I'm tired and I need to get up early.
Excuse me." Johnny told them all. They told him good night, Ten promising his boyfriend to join
him in bed soon.

"I'll just wait for Yangyang to arrive. Meanwhile you two can get ready for bed. If you want you
can use our shower and we also have a spare room with a sleeping couch. It'll only fit one person
though." Ten told them.

"I would like to take a shower if you don't mind" Haechan mumbled and Ten nodded, showing him
the bathroom. Mark meanwhile prepared the couch in the guest room for Haechan to sleep on. He
himself would take the couch in the living room.

A door bell was heard and Mark stepped out, seeing Ten greeting a tired looking Yangyang. The
man gave Mark a weak smile and Ten and Mark helped the slightly wounded man to the love seat
where Ten draped a blanket over them.

Mark meanwhile got Yangyang a cup of water and handed it to the man who said "Thank you. It's
so hot tonight and the wound is not helping one bit."

Mark laughed and nodded before saying "I'll check if Haechan has finished his shower. You just
sleep, you look tired as hell."

"I am." Yangyang mumbled and told Ten goodnight. The latter was also retreating into his and
Johnny's bedroom no while Mark made his way to the small guest room.

There he found Haechan on the couch. The latter had obviously just finished his shower as his hair
was still wet and he was only wearing a big white t-shirt, presumably one of Johnny's which Ten
must have given him. As soon as Haechan spotted Mark he gulped and his lips formed a small
smile.

Mark looked at Haechan, licking his lips. The smaller male looked so fucking hot right now in his
big t-shirt. He gave Mark puppy eyes and his lips were formed into a little pout, making the older
male coo at him.

"What are you doing?" he asked quietly so no one would be able to hear him. Haechan shrugged
and replied "Nothing... What do you mean?"

Mark gave him a look. He could tell the other was lying and teasing him however Mark wanted for
Haechan to admit that. He bent down a little, letting one of his knees rest on the couch.

"Ah, I must have imagined it then. Anyway, I'm going to sleep in the living room with Yangyang.
You probably want the space to think about everything and also I would just keep you up and you
need the sleep," he whispered, looking down at Haechan who nibbled on his lip. Mark knew
Haechan didn't want him to leave which was exactly why he said what he said.

"Sleep well." he said, letting his voice drop a bit. He could see Haechan staring at him, obviously
trying to jump over his own shadow and ask Mark to stay. He didn't, however so Mark walked over
to the door and gave Haechan one last look before leaving and closing the door behind him.

The man walked to the couch in the living room where Johnny had put a blanket and pillow for
him to sleep with.

Yangyang was still seated on the arm chair, dozing off. To Mark he seemed pretty much asleep
now. He emitted little snores, his chest heaving steadily. Mark could see that he was just in a tank
top, showing off his bulk arms. The older man could understand Yangyang's choice of clothing as
it was ridiculously hot in the apartment. It was the middle of summer after all.

Mark took off his shirt and then settled down on the couch. He didn't want to go to sleep just yet in
hopes a certain someone would come get him. So he just leaned against the cold leather fabric of
the couch, letting it cool down his hot body.

He closed his eyes and sighed in content. A few distant voices from outside could be heard as well
as the cricket sounds which were so typical for the season. However suddenly Mark could also
hear small footsteps on the tiles. He held back a smirk and pretended to already be asleep.

"Mark? Are you still awake?" Haechan's little voice was heard. It sounded weak and Mark could
imagine how the smaller male must look right now, all desperate for him.

"Mark?" the boy asked again and Mark could feel him settling down next to the older man on the
couch. He heard Haechan gulp, probably at the sight of his exposed upper body.

Suddenly Haechan gave Mark a little nudge into his side. Mark finally opened his eyes, pretending
he had just been asleep which fitted perfectly with his sleepy mood.

"Hey Chanie. What's up?" he asked in his deep voice as his eyes fell on the boy. He indeed looked
just as desperate as Mark had imagined, disheveled and wet hair and his lips red from being bitten
down on.

"Sorry to disturb you from sleeping." Haechan mumbled but Mark let out a low chuckle and let his
hand rest on Haechan's thigh as he told the boy "Don't worry. I bet this position would have hurt
my neck anyway."

A faint blush appeared on Haechan's cheeks upon hearing the word 'position'. Mark had to refrain
himself from laughing out loud at the boy's obvious dirty thoughts. He didn't comment and only
leaned back into the cold fabric of the couch.

Haechan didn't say anything further and a silence spread in which the younger started fiddling with
Mark's fingers which were still on his thigh.

"I take it that you couldn't sleep?" Mark disrupted the silence after a while. Haechan hummed and
shifted around, causing Mark's hand to creep farther up his thigh. Mark raised one eyebrow but
didn't comment. Instead he closed his eyes and sighed as he felt quite sleepy. He wouldn't mind
falling asleep right now but he knew Haechan would. He yawned and took a few deep breaths,
knowing it would make Haechan anxious. The latter was here for a reason and it certainly wasn't to
help Mark fall asleep.

"You took your shirt off." the younger male said. Mark hummed, grinning. He could hear that
Haechan was trying his best to sound casual but failing horribly doing so. His voice was practically
laced in desperation and neediness and Mark loved it.

"It was too hot, I couldn't sleep with it." he replied, opening his eyes to look at the ceiling. It was
all dark except for the moonshine lighting up the room through the windows.

"I feel hot too." Haechan admitted, not bothering to conceal his neediness anymore. He must really
be horny, Mark thought as Haechan started to guide Mark's hand even further up his crotch until it
had reached the crotch area.

Even with the fabric of the shirt and Haechan's boxers, Mark could feel the heat radiating off
Haechan's dick. He was pretty sure the man had a boner and Mark had literally not even done
anything yet except for letting his hand rest on Haechan's thigh.

"You're truly desperate, aren't you?" he asked amused. Haechan let out a little yelp, obviously
taking by surprise with Mark's blunt words.

"Yes." he admitted quietly "Please, help me Mark. I just feel like I could explode any minute. I
need you to do anything." he begged, his voice in a whisper. Yangyang was sleeping just a few
meters away after all.

"You're such a baby. Go jerk off or something, I'm tired." Mark whispered back, knowing just too
well Haechan wouldn't feel satisfied with it.

"I tried already before I came here. But I just couldn't stop thinking about you." the smaller said
quietly, almost whimpering the last words as Mark's hand moved over his crotch, slightly palming
his boner.

"Naughty baby tried to masturbate but failed? How cute." Mark laughed. He finally looked at
Haechan who had his eyes closed. Bruising his lips with his teeth, the smaller let out a small wince
as Mark suddenly harshly grabbed his dick.

"Please Mark, I need you to do more!" he begged in a whisper tone. Mark gave him one stroke but
immediately stopped when Haechan let out a moan.

"If you want more you have to earn it, baby." the older noted. Haechan opened his eyes to look at
Mark. His big eyes were teary and Mark could once again see the oh so familiar galaxies they were
holding in them.

"How? I will do anything." the boy said and suddenly raised his body up to sit down on Mark's lap.
The latter was taken by surprise but threw his head back as Haechan started sucking on the skin of
his neck.

"That's certainly a very good start." he mumbled, trying his best to not moan out loud. Yangyang
was sleeping right next to them for god's sake.

Haechan seemed to feel motivated by Mark's words as he only bruised the older's neck further,
slowly rocking his hips back and forth to gain some friction for his hard boner.

Mark let his fingers travel under Haechan's big shirt and dig into the warm skin of his waist. He
knew his tight grip would probably leave bruises but he didn't care much. Nobody would see it
besides the two of them anyway.

He controlled the rhythm at which Haechan was grinding on him. The heat between their crotches
combined with Haechan's skilled lips on the sensitive skin on his neck became too much for Mark
to handle. He let out one low moan, letting his finger's dig even further into Haechan's skin. The
latter gasped at the sharp pain and heavily breathed against the wet bruises he had just made.

"Let's take this to your room, shall we?" Mark asked and Haechan nodded eagerly. He raised
himself off Mark and the two of them hurried into the small room, neither one being able to resist
the other anymore.
 Chapter 19

The door shut behind the two and as soon as it did, Mark got pushed against it by Haechan. He felt
overwhelmed and let out a small yelp as his back hit the hard wood. It was caught by Haechan's
lips which were hungrily kissing him.

Mark cupped the smaller's cheeks and pulled him even closer. Haechan whimpered as Mark bit
down on his lower lip, asking for entrance. The other gave it to him, opening up his mouth slightly
so Mark could insert his tongue.

In rushed, needy movements Mark pushed Haechan towards the small couch. He let the younger
settle down and turned on one little light in the corner before climbing on top of him, letting his
arm rest on either side of Haechan's head while staring down at him.

"Who's the needy one now?" Haechan joked. Mark gave him a warning look which didn't seem to
stop Haechan from teasing further "Seems like you want me more than I do you."

"May I remind you that you were the one desperate enough to come and wake me up because
masturbating alone wouldn't satisfy you?" Mark whispered into his ear. He pulled away slightly
and could feel the goosebumps on Haechan's arms against the skin of his own.

"You're so fucking mean. I hate you." Haechan mumbled, looking up at Mark. The latter only
chuckled and stated "You don't hate me which is a shame. I heard angry sex is the best sex."

"How to make you angry then?" Haechan questioned, cocking up one brow. Mark could see the
corners of his mouth twitching and even though he was supposed to be 'mad' at Haechan for the
foreplay's sake, he couldn't help but let a small smile creep onto his lips.

"I get angry when I get teased. So I suggest you try that." he told Haechan, regaining his
composure and straight face.

"Sit down then." Haechan ordered and against his dominant nature Mark obeyed and got off
Haechan to sit down onto the small couch. He could feel sweat dripping down from his forehead,
that's how hot it was in the little room. There wasn't a window either, meaning they had to endure
the heat.

Haechan for his part however didn't seem to mind it all too much. Instead he got on the floor on all
fours. Mark tilted his head, wanting to question him but chose not to. Haechan knew how to tease
him just alright by now so he trusted the man.

With his one hand Haechan parted Mark's knees, causing him to manspread. He leaned his head
against Mark's one inner thigh while massaging the other with his hand, all while staring up at
Mark. The latter let out a curse under his breath at the doe eyes Haechan was giving him. If he had
one weakness, this was definitely it.

Slowly Haechan's hand was nearing Mark's crotch area. The obvious outline in Mark's pants
already gave away he had a boner but Haechan still acted surprised when his fingers met the
clothed dick.

"You're so big." he whispered, his eyes going even wider while looking at it. Mark felt a faint blush
spread over his cheeks, however wasn't all too bothered with feeling embarrassed since Haechan
was now starting to give his boner a few strokes. Mark automatically jerked his hips forward but
Haechan took his other hand to keep it in place.
His head, which had been leaning against Mark's warm leg the whole time, now came closer to
Mark's stomach. With his mouth Haechan undid the tie of Mark's sweatpants and then used one
hand to pull it down with his boxers. Mark let out a low groan as his dick was finally freed from
the tight fabric.

"Looks so good." Haechan commented and gave Mark's tip a few kitten licks. Almost instantly
Mark buried his hands in Haechan's brown hair, tugging at it. The smaller looked up at him and
Mark came almost just by the hungry expression on Haechan's face.

"How about you suck me then?" he asked huskily. Haechan however shook his head and said
"Nah, you told me to tease you so that's what I'm going to do."

Mark let out a curse which transitioned into a moan when Haechan gave him another few small
kisses on the tip before sliding over his slit with his tongue. Mark's whole body burned up at the
little action, sweat now dripping down from his chin as well as he threw his head back.

"I can feel you twitch in my hand. Is that normal?" Haechan asked innocently. Mark looked down
at him and immediately felt his dick twitch again just at that sight. He hummed a "yes" before
letting Haechan continue with his work.

The smaller started nibbling on the skin, kissing Mark's length up and down until he reached the
man's hip bones. From there he traveled up with his lips, sucking on Mark's wet skin here and
there.

Mark watched him, loving the difference between their skin tones. Haechan's tan looked so
beautiful against his own. It wasn't that he was very fair but Haechan was just very tanned and it
made his skin look golden, like honey almost. Mark wanted to taste it but held back. It was
Haechan's turn right now, he would get his fair share later,

Speaking of Haechan, the male had now reached Mark's collar bones with his lips. He bruised
them by sucking harshly on the skin and softly biting down on it afterwards, causing another low
moan to escape Mark's lips.

Seeing as Haechan's position was kind of awkward, he just sat down in Mark's lap, sandwiching
his boner between their stomachs. Mark felt a heat pool in his stomach upon feeling Haechan's ass
right on his upper thighs. He couldn't resist and grabbed it, pulling Haechan closer.

Both men moaned at the feeling of Haechan grinding on his thigh as he got pulled in closer by
Mark. Haechan had caught onto how much Mark felt affected by his ass and started wiggling it,
grinding up and down. He let his head fall into the crook of Mark's neck and the elder held him
with one hand whilst the other was still guiding Haechan's hips.

"Fuck Haechannie.." Mark mumbled, feeling himself become rock hard against his own stomach.
Haechan must have noticed as suddenly a small hand gave Mark's dick a few strokes. The latter let
out a loud moan which was silenced by Haechan connecting their lips in a sloppy and needy kiss.

Mark didn't hesitate to let his tongue enter Haechan's mouth as he enjoyed the feeling of his dick
getting stroked by the smaller. Haechan let his thumb travel over Mark's slit and then smeared the
oozing pre-cum all over his length. It felt dirty but good, Mark admitted to himself.

Suddenly Haechan stopped with all his actions and got up from Mark's lap. The latter asked in
confusion "What's wrong? Have you changed your mind? Sorry, if it was too much."

Haechan didn't respond but laid one finger on Mark's lip to mute him. He then motioned for Mark
to scoot over a bit which Mark did, still confused by the smaller's behaviour and also feeling
immensely sexually frustrated.

This feeling only intensified when Haechan finally took off his long shirt, leaving him only in
boxers. He took them off as well and now got on all fours again, this time on the couch. He leaned
over the armrest, giving Mark a perfect sight of his hole. The older male gulped, feeling his dick
twitch once again just because of that sight.

"Baby, what are you doing?" he asked hoarsely.

"You wanted me to tease you, didn't you? Well, that's what I'm doing." Haechan replied. He
quickly wetted one of his fingers with his mouth before inserting it into his hole.

Mark gulped as he watched Haechan finger himself, slow at first but faster by the second. Seeing
how Haechan clenched around his own fingers only made Mark imagine things. He knew it was
exactly what Haechan wanted but still he couldn't help but feel a little mad. He wanted to be the
one to satisfy Haechan, the smaller shouldn't be doing that by himself.

"You're such a whore." he mumbled and Haechan let out a whimper, only fastening his pace. Mark
got rid of his pants and said lowly "Such a whore for my dick, aren't you baby?"

"Yes, I am. Please, Mark!" Haechan begged. He inserted his third finger, still going at a quick
pace. Mark could see the sweat forming on his back and butt cheeks, making them all shiny. It
looked so fucking hot.

"Beg more and maybe I'll give you what you want." he ordered, scooting closer to the other's body.
He gave Haechan's butt a slap, not too hard but it left a visible print for a few seconds.

Haechan let out a small whimper and quietly rambled "Please Mark! I just want you so bad. Please
fuck me, make me forget my name."

"Where did you learn how to talk like that, baby?" Mark questioned and made a tsk-sound. He
noticed Haechan's ears going red and chuckled, giving his ass another smack.

"Ngh, please!" Haechan pleaded and Mark couldn't resist anymore. He spat into his hand and used
the saliva to wet his dick a little. Then he pulled out Haechan's fingers before teasing his entrance
with his dick.

"Need you inside me, ah!" Haechan mumbled, letting his head fall. Mark cursed at the younger's
desperate tone and words and finally inserted himself slowly.

Haechan let out a small gasp, obviously not being used to the feeling. Despite wanting to be really
rough and just pound into him, Mark was going slow. He didn't want the younger male to be in too
much pain. When he was finally all in he told Haechan "Just tell me when to move baby."

Haechan nodded. He shifted around for a bit and Mark could hear his heavy breathing through the
silence. To make Haechan more comfortable he left soft kisses on the boy's back and shoulder
blades, whispering small affirmations into his ear.

"You're just so cute, the way you're taking me in. What a good baby." he told him. Haechan let out
a small giggle which made Mark's heart speed up significantly. He loved the sound, maybe even
more than Haechan's moans.

"You can move." Haechan told him. Mark nodded and slowly pulled out. He could feel Haechan
clenching and it made him only even more impatient. However he resisted the urge to go back in
fast but thrusted slow and in a steady rhythm. With each time, Haechan's moans got a little louder
and desperate. It was like pouring oil into the fire which had spread in Mark's lower stomach area.
He dug his fingers into Haechan's hip bone, just to not lose control.

"Please go faster!" Haechan pleaded and who was Mark to deny that? With his hands he pulled
Haechan a little closer to him and fastened up his pace.

"I wanna see your face." Mark said and pulled out. He picked Haechan up and laid him with his
back onto the couch. Seeing the boy just lay there, hair disheveled with sweat dripping down his
forehead and chest and half-closed eyes, it was all too much for Mark.

"Is it okay if I go rough now?" he asked and as soon as Haechan nodded his head weakly, Mark
hovered over him. He picked up one of Haechan's legs and once again thrusted into him. This time
way faster and roughly, almost animalistic. Haechan only let out small whimpers and his eyes
rolled into the back of his head. Mark bend over a little more to connect their lips. Haechan
responded immediately, wrapping his arms around Mark's neck as their bodies moved in sync with
each thrust.

"God, if I had known you were this good, I would've fucked you way before this." Mark mumbled.

"It's not like I literally did everything to get you to do that." Haechan mumbled, letting out moans in
between his words. "You just always said 'No, we can't. I just have to teach you.' And so on."
Haechan complained. His voice was so strained the words were barely coming out.

"You know I didn't have a choice so shut up." Mark growled, staring down right into Haechan's
eyes. They were glassy but Mark could still see a mischievous glint of amusement in them."

"Make me." Haechan dared him and Mark didn't hesitate. He reconnected their lips, biting down
on Haechan's lower lips harshly. The latter let out a high pitched moan which had Mark lose his
mind. He tightened his grip on Haechan's thigh and pulled it up a bit so he could go in even further.

He must have hit the right spot as suddenly Haechan's whole body was shaking. His leg was
trembling in Mark's hand and he tried to speak but the words got drowned in his own and Mark's
moans. The man made sure to hit that exact spot over and over again, probably bruising it with
how hard he was thrusting.

Feeling Haechan clench around him pretty much sent him over the edge. He didn't even had the
chance to warn the smaller, he just felt his dick twitch one last time and with another thrust he
finally released the pent up heat in his stomach.

He had probably moaned Haechan's name but honestly he didn't know as his mind was far gone
right now. He felt like floating while the waves of his orgasm rolled over his body. He opened his
eyes to look down at Haechan who had his eyes closed. Mark absently gave the younger's lips a
peck and closed his eyes again, enjoying the bliss of his orgasm.

"Mark? Are you okay?" Haechan asked from somewhere in the distance. Mark hummed, giving
himself another few seconds before looking down at Haechan. The latter was looking up at him
with his damn puppy eyes.

"What just happened?" he asked and Mark chuckled. He picked Haechan's nose before saying
"You just gave me the best orgasm of my life."

"Oh really? Can I have one too?" Haechan asked innocently and Mark had to bite back a growl.
How dare the boy be so fucking cute while Mark's dick was still buried inside his ass.
"Sure you can." Mark replied and thrusted forward another few times, making sure to his that spot.
He also kissed down Haechan's jaw until he reached his neck where he started nibbling and
sucking on the skin.

Poor Haechan, probably totally overstimulated, came within a minute. His whole body trembled as
his hands tugged at Mark's hair painfully hard. Not that the older minded, he was glad to give
Haechan the pleasure of an orgasm.

"Ah fuck, Mark!" Haechan moaned out loud and then came all over his own and Mark's stomach.
The white liquid painted his tan skin and Mark had to stop himself from getting hard again just at
the sight.

He slowly pulled out while Haechan was riding out his orgasm, clenching and shifting around.
Finding the boy to moan too loud for his own good, Mark shut him up with a passionate kiss. It
was harsh at first but the longer they kissed, the slower and sweeter the kiss became. Mark took
his sweet time to enjoy the other's plump and soft lips on his own.

He could tell Haechan's orgasm was over since the boy had released his hair and wasn't moaning
into Mark's mouth anymore. However they kept on kissing, only parting to quickly catch their
breath.

Mark realised that they couldn't keep on doing that as he didn't want Haechan's cum to dry on his
stomach. So he parted himself and pulled away, panting. Haechan let out whine but looked up at
Mark with a little smile, his eyes turning into crescent moons.

"You look breathtaking." the older male commented while looking down at Haechan who blushed
furiously and tried to look anywhere else besides Mark. The latter laughed and swiftly picked
Haechan's body up, causing him to yelp.

"What are you doing?" Haechan mumbled, obviously exhausted and not ready to move
whatsoever.

"Come on, I'll quickly clean us up and then you can go to sleep." Mark told him. Haechan
protested weakly, however still let Mark carry him into the bathroom. The older man hurried up
while doing so, simply not wanting to take the risk of Yangyang waking up and seeing the two
naked.

He turned on the shower and let Haechan sit down in the tub while he cleaned the smaller male off.
He then proceeded to wash himself and then dry both of them off with a towel. Haechan was lazily
sitting on the counter,his eyes barely open anymore. Mark giggled at him but nonetheless made the
effort to dress both of them again.

He laid Haechan down into the small room which was still reeling of sex and sweat. Haechan
didn't seem to like that all too much as he scrunched his nose and asked in a small voice "Can't I
sleep with you on the couch?"

"Fine." Mark sighed and picked him up once again. In the morning surely all his muscles would be
sore as hell. But right now he didn't care and only wanted Haechan to be satisfied.

He laid down Haechan on the couch and then settled down next to him. Haechan immediately
spread out, laying his whole body onto the couch. With one arm he pulled Mark down as well who
didn't have it in himself to go against Haechan, out of both exhaustion and adoration for Haechan.
The latter took Mark's arms and wrapped it around his own waist so that Mark was now spooning
him. Mark smiled at that and only pulled Haechan closer.
Feeling the younger's back against his chest and his small hands still on Mark's to keep them in
place, it all made Mark feel so happy. He felt like he could protect Haechan from anything and the
other way around, like Haechan was his absolute everything. One might call it love but Mark tried
not to think about it all too much. All that mattered right now was that he was with Haechan, happy
and safe and with these thoughts in mind he finally fell asleep.
 Chapter 20

Awaking in the morning was like waking up on the first day of summer holidays. It had to be late
morning, maybe early midday already when Mark woke up and opened his eyes.

He blinked a few times before realising where he was. He sat up and immediately felt something
move against his lower body. He looked down to find Haechan laying there, eyes still closed and
fast asleep. Mark's heart hurt at the sight. It was truly unfair how perfect the boy was, especially
now with the knowledge that Haechan's body was man-made but nature had just blessed him.

Mark bent down and kissed the man's nose. He remembered the first time he had turned Haechan
on and the latter had booped his nose. Crazy how that's the first thing that came to Haechan's mind
upon awakening into a new life.

"Ah, at least one of you is awake now." Mark heard a voice. He turned around to see Johnny
leaning against one of the kitchen counters. He wanted to ask if Johnny didn't have any work to do
but felt as if that would come off as rude and he had to be thankful for the older letting them stay
here.

"Yes, I am. We stayed up quite late yesterday." Mark nodded and raised himself off the couch.

"Oh, I know." Johnny laughed and gave Mark a telling wink. The younger felt his face heat up as
memories of the last night were flooding his mind. Images of Haechan's naked body, sounds of his
desperate moans and his cute puppy eyes came to mind. Mark, even though a little embarrassed,
didn't regret it at all. It was good, being finally able to take what he had been denied for so long.

"Is he the colleague you told me about a while back?" Johnny asked, cocking his head into the
couch's direction where Haechan was still sleeping, emitting little snores.

"Uh, yeah. He's the one." Mark admitted, awkwardly scratching his head. Johnny nodded and gave
Haechan another look.

"He's very good looking, that I will admit. I know Ten finds him adorable as well but apparently he
had memory loss or something? I didn't catch the full story yesterday but to be fair I was also pretty
tired." Johnny said.

"Oh, basically he got shot and revived but had lost all his memories to his life before. So when I
got to know him he was almost like a robot." Mark told him. He was careful with his words as he
didn't know how much Johnny actually knew and he didn't feel like getting his Hyung killed.

"Oh." Johnny said, obviously speechless by that information as well as Mark's casualty while
saying that. The man himself hadn't realised how dramatic that sounded, but since he had time
already to get used to the situation he didn't see it as spectacular as other people might.

Johnny didn't ask any further questions and Mark believed he had scared the older male a little with
his words. He didn't regret wording the situation this way though as he wanted Johnny to stay as
safe as possible.

"Are you hungry?" the older man asked, leaning against the kitchen counter. Mark nodded and
Johnny made him a toast with eggs before informing Mark "I've got to go back to the market now.
Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Mark tilted his head and thought for a few seconds before his eyes widened in realisation. He
replied "Yes, there is. When you finish work, could you maybe check up on my apartment? I have
a cat and I'm not sure how she is doing since we've been gone for a while."

"Sure thing. You want me to bring her here?" Johnny asked.

"If it doesn't bother you, sure." Mark answered, feeling grateful for the offer.

"No, it doesn't. We have a cat as well but he stays mostly in our bedroom. His name is Louis."
Johnny assured Mark. The younger male gave his hyung a smile before waving him goodbye.
Johnny left the apartment, leaving Mark alone with the sleeping Haechan. Neither Yangyang nor
Ten seemed to be around, Mark concluded as he looked through the rooms after finishing his
breakfast.

After his little tour, Mark went back to the couch. He sat down in the love seat in which Yangyang
had been sleeping before. Looking at Haechan's breathtaking side profile, Mark finally had some
time to think about the events of the past days.

On the one hand he was of course very happy to have escaped Taeyong and his mafia but on the
other hand he knew that they wouldn't be safe here for long. Taeyong would surely send his
members to search for Mark and Haechan but especially Kun and Yangyang. The leader had
seemed pretty set about the idea of an android and Mark knew enough about Taeyong to be able to
say that once something was decided, Taeyong would pull through with it.

Mark admitted to himself he was scared for everyone's safety, all the scientists, Johnny's, his own
but most importantly Haechan's. If Taeyong only laid one finger on the man, Mark would probably
die of fear. Haechan didn't have any fault in his situation, if anything Mark was the one to blame.
But Taeyong wouldn't care about that, he would probably just kill Mark and let Haechan be the
experiment of other scientists to figure out his brain.

Promising himself he was not going to ever let that happen, Mark leaned over and stroked over
Haechan's cheek with his thumb. The smaller frowned in his sleep but didn't wake up. Mark
chuckled at his facial expression and pulled back, not wanting to disturb Haechan's sleep.

"How dare you come into my life, make a complete mess and on top of that steal my heart?" Mark
whispered, well knowing he wouldn't receive an answer.

It was true though, there was no denying it. Mark had grown way too fond of Haechan, or rather
the personality behind what he first thought to be an android. Mark still wasn't all too sure how to
feel about the personality thing as he couldn't say whether it was Haechan or Donghyuck he liked
so much. Was there even a difference and if yes, what was it? He didn't know and in the end it
didn't really matter to him.

Haechan was Haechan, a witty, sassy but smart and caring boy who Mark, despite all the troubles,
did like to take care of. And next to Haechan's personality, he had the looks as well. The tan skin
which was covered in hickeys from the neck down from last night's activities. The puppy eyes
which were currently hidden behind Haechan's eyelids. The mole on Haechan's cheek that ever
since the first time Mark had spotted it, he immediately had found it adorable.

Now knowing how very real this body actually was lifted a weight off Mark's shoulders he didn't
even know had been there. His sexual desires as well as his liking towards Haechan's personality
now felt valid. He didn't have to tell himself anymore that Haechan was an android because he
wasn't, or only to a certain extent which Mark didn't mind. To him, Haechan was human.

All of the sudden the man felt himself tearing up while staring down at Haechan. Emotional
exhaustion, stress, relief and affection all came together to overwhelm his mind. He felt a hot tear
roll down his cheek and put his hand in front of his mouth to prevent any sounds from escaping his
mouth.

A single sniffle seemed to be enough however to wake Haechan up. He scrunched his nose up
before opening his eyes. Almost immediately his eyes fell onto the other and he bit his lip in
anxiety.

"What's wrong Mark?" he asked but the older male just shook his head. Haechan pulled his arm
and dragged Mark's body to the couch so they could sit next to each other.

Mark wasn't really crying hard but it was enough to make his view blurred. Internally cursing at
himself he sniffled again, feeling another hot tear fall onto his cheek. This time though Haechan
was there to wipe it away. He cupped Mark's cheeks and with his fingers wiped away any tear that
fell from Mark's eyes.

The older laid his hand onto Haechan's, holding it while locking their eyes. He blinked a few times
to make his vision clear before finally being able to see Haechan's beautiful but worried face.

"Is everything okay?" the smaller whispered, stroking his thumb over Mark's cheek. The latter
nodded and mumbled "I was just feeling emotional, don't mind me."

"Is there any way I can make you feel better?" Haechan asked. Mark gave him a little smile and
requested "Let's just stay like this for a while, please."

"Of course." the smaller replied and cupped Mark's cheeks until all his tears had dried off. Then he
proceeded to hug Mark, wrapping his arms around the older's neck to keep him close. Mark didn't
mind and let his arms sneak around Haechan's waist, leaning back a bit so Haechan was almost
laying on him.

They stayed like that for a while in a comfortable silence. That was until Haechan pulled back to
look at Mark and said "I hope you're better now. Even I feel healed from that hug."

Mark laughed at the adorable words and assured Haechan "Yes, I am. Thank you for the cuddles."

"You're the most welcome. Even though I will admit my lower back hurt a bit at that position."
Haechan noted. Mark gulped and looked down, exactly knowing why Haechan had felt pain.

"I'm sorry. I should have been easier on you last night." he apologised. Hearing Haechan's giggles
made him look back up immediately. The younger had his nose scrunched as the adorable sounds
of his laughter filled the room. He nudged Mark's side and said "It's okay, I liked it a lot. Probably
a bit too much."

"Where did you even learn all that stuff?" Mark asked, feeling relieved that Haechan wasn't being
all too serious.

"One night we were watching a movie and you had already fallen asleep and a sex scene came on.
It was between two men and I just did what the one man did in the movie." Haechan explained.
Mark furrowed his eyebrows.

"I should have monitored more of what we were watching. What was the movie's name?" he asked.
Haechan tilted his head, trying to remember before finally saying "I can't remember but it was
about a secretary and his boss falling in love while the boss still had a girlfriend like an office
affair."
"Ah, that one. Now I remember. Wow, I never knew it had a sex scene in it." Mark mumbled,
absently stroking Haechan's thigh. The latter laughed once more and cuddled into Mark's side,
intertwining their fingers.

"What do you reckon will happen now?" Haechan asked after a few seconds of silence. Mark
shrugged. He didn't really have an answer to that question as he hadn't thought about it either.

"I assume we will have to move again soon. Taeyong will surely search for me and you as well as
all of Wayv's members." he said. Haechan hummed and then completely randomly said "I miss
Yoonji."

"Oh right, I talked to Johnny-hyung before you woke up and he is checking up on her after work
ends. With a bit of luck he might even bring her here." Mark told him. Haechan excitedly clapped
his and Mark's hand together and let out cheering noises before saying "But won't it be dangerous?
They could be watching our apartment and then follow Johnny here."

Mark gulped but to reassure himself as Haechan he said "Don't worry. I'm sure Johnny is smart
enough. Besides, he is even better in Martial Arts than me so I'm not too worried about him. Just in
case we should stay alert though."

The two finally got up from the couch, Haechan making himself breakfast. Mark just sat at the
table with him, watching him eat.

"Are you not hungry?" Haechan asked him but Mark shook his head and replied "Johnny already
made me something."

"Of course he did. If you did it yourself the kitchen would be long gone." Haechan mumbled to
himself but Mark heard it nonetheless. He hit the other's shoulder and exclaimed "Hey, I'm not that
bad of a cook!"

"Sure you aren't." Haechan snorted and choked on the food that was currently in his mouth. Mark
rubbed his back as Haechan coughed a few times.

"That's what you get for being mean." Mark joked and Haechan gave him a look. The older raised
his hands in defence and Haechan nodded, muttering something along the lines of "That's what I
thought." under his breath.

The rest of the day was spent on the couch, just being cuddled up together. Mark loved finally
being able to give into Haechan's skin-ship. For too long he had rejected it and he had the slight
suspicion that that made it only better. And Haechan being clingy was just the cutest thing in the
world to him.

Despite the hot temperatures, Haechan would always find a way to snuggle close to Mark. Right
now they were spread over the couch, their legs entangled. Haechan had his head resting on Mark's
chest, dozing off while Mark was thinking of the next steps to do now.

What he wanted to do next was to somehow inform Jeno, Jaemin and Renjun of the past events.
Not only would they not have to worry but also for them to stay alert and ready to move in the
worst case scenario.

But that was for tomorrow. Right now Mark heard the front door fall shut and raised his upper
body a bit, being careful to not wake Haechan. There he saw Johnny who squatted down and let a
very familiar cat jump on the floor.

"Yoonji!" Mark exclaimed but then remembered Haechan was sleeping. He motioned for Johnny
to come so he wouldn't have to shout through the whole apartment. Yoonji had already made her
way over to her owner and let herself down on Haechan's waist. The boy's eyes opened sleepily and
he looked down at Yoonji. As soon as he recognised the cat, Haechan smiled and extended a hand
to pet her while closing his eyes again, obviously going back to sleep.

"She was well and healthy. Didn't like me at first but we got along." Johnny told Mark who
thanked his hyung over and over again.

"It's no big deal dude, don't worry about it." Johnny assured him and ruffled his hair. Mark giggled
and wrapped his arms around Haechan's body to make sure the boy was secure.

"Any plans while you're stuck here?" Johnny asked him. Mark nodded and said "I will visit three
friends tomorrow, just to warn them about what has happened. And then me and Haechan have to
find somewhere more safe."

"Be careful though. Ten told me the mafia can be very dangerous. Make sure you're not
recognisable in public." Johnny advised.

"Any particular ideas?" Mark asked and didn't even need an answer when he saw a smirk on
Johnny's face which was telling everything.

And so when Mark got ready to visit his friends the next morning, he ruffled his freshly dyed hair.
It was now blond and Haechan as well as Johnny assured him it looked good.

"You know what, after you come back I might just seduce you. That's how good the hair looks."
Haechan whispered in Mark's ear as the older got ready to leave the apartment. He choked and
looked at Haechan who gave him his innocent puppy eyes but mischievously winked.

"I might just come back to that offer." Mark told him and then waved goodbye before leaving the
apartment. Now he had to make sure his friends were safe before returning to the apartment as
soon as possible.
 Chapter 21

On his way, Mark kept his head low. Since it was morning the streets weren't all too full but he
was still weary of any Nct members roaming around to search for him, therefore he was wearing
sunglasses and a leather jacket. Luckily it wasn't all too hot yet or else Mark would've died in the
clothing but for now he was good, just trying to keep an eye on the people around him and making
sure he wasn't being followed.

He soon arrived at the store, checking through the windows if there were any customers. There
weren't but he hadn't expected any to, it was morning after all. He tried to open the door but it was
closed. Frowning, he looked around not only to check if he was being watched but also to find a
second entrance. He sneaked into an alleyway nearby and found the back of the house where
luckily there was an open door. Mark hesitantly pulled it open. Out of instinct his hand was
grabbing the air next to hip where usually his gun would sit in the weapon holster. He let out a
little curse, realising it wasn't there.

Unsure of how to proceed he just stood at the door, shifting around from one leg to the other. He
desperately wanted to warn his friends but for all he knew it could be Taeyong waiting on the other
side of the door.

He looked around in the little backyard. It was quite dark since the buildings around it didn't give
the rising sun the chance to light it up. Mark turned on his heels and mustered the area, it wasn't
filled with trash but Mark could spot a few overfilled trash cans. Suddenly his eyes found a little
window behind which he saw movement. He walked closer and bend down to find a cat wiggle it's
tail while looking at Mark from the other side of the window.

He squinted his eyes. This wasn't just any cat, it was a cat he was very familiar with. Or a hybrid he
should rather say. Renjun was just looking at him from the window with big eyes. Mark made a
questioning gesture and Renjun's eyes went to one of the trash cans.

Mark snorted in disbelief at himself as he actually walked over to the trash container. He rolled it
aside to find a little trap door beneath it. His eyes went back to the window where Renjun was
nodding his head, his cat ears flinching.

The man nodded to himself and pulled the door open. Below him was darkness, only a ladder was
visible. Mark hesitated for a moment but then in the end took the few steps down the ladder. There
was a little hallway at which’s end Mark could see a few dim light rays. He closed the trap door
over him, engulfing his body in almost complete darkness.

A shiver ran down his spine and he once again tried to grab his missing gun. Slowly but surely he
made his way to the end of the hallway.

He knocked at the door which wasn't fully closed. Then suddenly he felt something around his legs
and let out a little gasp. He stared down to find Renjun staring back at him, his big cat pupils
reflecting every single bit of light there was.

"Renjun?" he asked and the cat nodded. He bumped his head into the back of Mark's leg, an
obvious gesture for Mark to move forward and enter the room. So with one last gulp the man
opened the door fully and stepped in.

He squinted his eyes at the sudden bright light but immediately felt a body on him. A gasp escaped
Mark's mouth as he felt strong arms engulfing him in a tight hug.
"Hyung! You're here!" Jeno said, squeezing the man's body even more tight. Mark patted his back
and said "I'm happy to see you too but please I need air to breathe."

Jeno laughed and let go of the older. Mark saw his face light up and his adorable eye-smile. The
view didn't last long however as soon enough Mark was engulfed in another hug, this time by
Jaemin. This hug wasn't as tight as Jeno's but filled with just as much love.

When Jaemin had let go of Mark as well, the older turned to the two and asked "What the hell is
this place and what are you doing here?"

Looking around, he could find a big king sized bed, a small kitchen, a couch in the corner and a
door to the side, probably a bathroom. It looked almost like a bunker. The only way of sunlight
lightening up the room was coming through the windows at one of which Renjun has planted
himself down again.

"That's a long story and I honestly can't really explain it? It doesn't make sense whatsoever. But
also where have you been? We have tried to call you so many times!" Jaemin exclaimed, obviously
upset.

Mark raised his hand, mumbling "Sorry but that story is probably just as long as yours."

"You go first. I kind of have the suspicion that whatever is going on has to do with you and
Haechan." Jeno told him. Renjun had moved away from the window and now settled onto Jeno's
lap. Mark sat down next to him on the couch and took a deep breath.

"Basically what happened was that me and Haechan found out that Haechan was going to get taken
away from me. I know it was literally the whole deal, I train him and then give him to Taeyong but
I might have become slightly attached."

"Slightly?" Jeno asked teasingly. Mark rolled his eyes but ignored his friend's comment to continue
"Haechan being Haechan he rebelled against Taeyong and two other marián members who were
there to take him. They had to shut him off and then knocked me out as well. Next time I woke up I
was in Nct's headquarters. Taeyong wanted for the scientists who made Haechan to erase all
memory of him in his brain so he wouldn't be attached to me anymore like I was attached to him."

"And did they?" Jaemin asked, obviously worried. Jeno took his boyfriend's hand to calm him
down while Renjun jumped off his lap.

Mark shook his head and said "No because here comes the twist. Haechan is actually only partly
android. He has an android brain but his body is fully human. And even his personality is one of a
real human being. There is more to that but I'm trying to keep myself short here. So Taeyong finds
out that Haechan isn't what he thought he was and gets mad at the scientists. He almost murdered
them on the spot but luckily didn't and one of the scientists was able to buy us sometime. We then
got rescued by a few scientists who used to be in Nct but left the mafia and now we're staying at
my friend's place. It's all so chaotic and in between I also might have developed feelings for
Haechan." he rambled, the last sentence quietly but still audible to Jeno and Jaemin who both
gasped in sync.

"Now that I think about it, I'm surprised you didn't come to that conclusion earlier." Renjun said,
now in his human form. He had a blanket draped over his body so he wasn't completely nude and
Mark much appreciated it.

"That's mean, Injunnie. Mark is a bit slow sometimes, that's okay." Jeno said and gave his hyung a
teasing face. Mark scoffed and hit the man's shoulder harshly but still in a friendly way.
"Owh!" Jeno helped out but was interrupted by his boyfriend who said "First of all I'm glad you
and Haechan are both okay. Secondly, that explains so much. Yesterday evening Jeno and I were
closing up when Renjun stormed in and warned us."

"Yeah, I had been on a stroll, as a cat, and overheard that one guy talking about a certain Mark and
Haechan escaping. Obviously I got curious and followed them. They mentioned something about
hunting Mark's friends down to get information and naturally I thought of Jeno and Jaemin. I
figured they would be on their way here so I rushed to them and warned them. Jeno immediately
took us into this bunker so we could stay safe. I'm the only one who has been outside in the past
few hours." Renjun explained.

"Oh fuck, I'm sorry for getting you guys in so much trouble." Mark whispered, feeling his throat
become tight. Jeno used the hand that wasn't holding Jaemin's to rub Mark's back.

He assured him "Don't worry about it, hyung. This way I finally got to sleep early and spent the
whole morning with Renjun and Jaemin. Like just the three of us without any customers, I liked it."

"Jus say you fucked and go." Mark said bluntly. It was meant as a joke but when Jaemin turned red
and Renjun let out an awkward laugh, Mark realised he probably wasn't that far from the truth.

"Anyway, any plans for now?" he asked, trying to change the subject to avoid any awkwardness in
the room.

"Well, that kinda depends on what you're going to do now." Jeno noted. Mark hummed. If he chose
to let himself and Haechan caught by the mafia they wouldn't go after his friends anymore. But
frankly the man wasn't feeling like doing that.

"I just want to get out of here. My cat nature can't handle not having any sunlight to bathe in."
Renjun chirped in and made all the others laugh.

"What if.." Jaemin trailed off. All heads turned to him but he waved his hands dismissively,
mumbling "Ah, nevermind."

"What is it, baby?" Jeno asked him. Mark almost gagged at the pet name. He knew the two were
boyfriends but seeing them so lovey-dovey made him cringe at times.

"What if we just run away? Run to a different country? Where there is no mafia, no corrupted
government, none of all that shit. Other countries have been handling the climate crisis much better
than Korea, my dad has told me. When he was in the military he visited them and said they were so
much prettier than Seoul or Korea in general."

The room went quiet for a bit. Everyone was thinking about Jaemin's thoughts. It sounded nice,
being able to escape this gruesome reality that they called their life. Mark would love to go
somewhere else, somewhere safe but he was realistic enough to know that could never happen.

"I like the idea but how would we do that?" Renjun asked carefully. Jaemin shrugged and said "I
know people who know people who sell illegal tickets for flights into other countries. It's so
expensive though, we could never buy them. All the money we made from the store would maybe
be enough for Jeno and me but never for all four of us, plus Haechan probably?" Jaemin said,
giving Mark a questioning look.

The man nodded. He wouldn't leave this place without Haechan. He had gotten the innocent boy
into his mess and he would be the one to pull him out of it again as well.

"How much is it?" Mark asked carefully.

"Two million won per ticket. Maybe a bit less, I don't know how the prices are at the moment."
Jaemin replied.

Mark gulped. Two million was a lot, let alone four million for him and Haechan. Then he
remembered "I still have money from Nct's payment. It should be in my apartment still."

"How much?" Jeno asked sceptically.

"Maybe around four or five million? Each payment for one week I was living with Haechan, except
for the last one." Mark told him.

He looked Jeno in the eyes and could see a glint of hope in them. Mark knew he must have the
same glint in his own eyes. If it was enough for them to afford five tickets, they could go. Yes, it
was illegal but so was literally everything they had been doing before.

"I can get it if you tell me where it is." Renjun noted. Mark looked at him sceptically but Renjun
only dramatically moved his cat ears, explaining wordlessly he would be in his cat form.

Mark agreed. He trusted Renjun enough to not be dumb, hell the hybrid was probably the smartest
out of all of them. He told Renjun the location of where he had been hiding the money and Renjun
immediately opened the window before changing himself into his cat form and escaping through
it.

"Will Haechan agree though?" Jaemin asked Mark while they were waiting for Renjun's return.
Mark bit his lip, he hadn't thought about that yet. Maybe Haechan would like the comfort of their
current situation more than taking the risk and taking the flight to another country.

"I don't know." Mark answered truthfully. "I will talk with him once I'm back."

"You really like him, don't you?" Jaemin questioned. Mark hummed, smiling at the thought of
Haechan's happy smile once he would arrive back.

"He loved the new hair." Mark told Jaemin, definitely not telling him why though. He knew that
Jaemin wouldn't want to know either. That was just for Mark and Haechan to know.

"I like it too. Blond suits you." Jeno complimented. Mark thanked him and ruffled through his own
hair. It felt a bit drier than it usually would but they had bleached it so that was only expected.

Renjun came back after only half an hour. He slipped through the window with all the envelopes of
money in his mouth. He then ran into the other room and came out in a big hoodie and shorts, both
of which obviously belonged to Jeno.

"There you go. I ran as fast as I could and now my legs feel like pudding." the hybrid said
dramatically and sat down on Jeno's lap again. This time however he remained human. Mark raised
an eyebrow but didn't say anything.

He grabbed the envelopes and opened them up. In the end he counted five million won. Enough
for him and Haechan.

"I could afford two tickets for me and Haechan and have another one million won spare for living,
I guess. What about you guys?" he asked.

"As I said, we could afford a ticket for two of us but I don't know if we have all the money for
another third one." Jeno said, anxiously biting his lip.
"If it's not enough, I'll give some of mine." Mark said generously. All three stared at him in
surprise, causing his cheeks and ears to go red.

"Come on, I'm not that much of an asshole." he mumbled and then absolutely got crushed by
another one of Jeno's hugs.

"Thanks hyung." the man muttered into the crook of Mark's neck who only laughed and said
"Don't worry about it. You have done so much for me, the least I can do is this."

They chatted for a bit more before settling up an appointment. They would meet at Johnny's market
store tomorrow. If Mark appeared alone, it was just the four of them, if Haechan joined him it was
the five of them. Then they would decide where to go and Jaemin would request tickets. The man
had told them it shouldn't take longer than another day and then they could already go on board. It
all felt a bit too fast for Mark's brain to keep up with.

While they were bidding their goodbyes, Mark was already thinking. Thinking of how to tell
Haechan and Johnny, thinking of how to repay Ten and his members for what they had done,
thinking of how to make sure everyone was safe.

"See you, hyung. Don't forget the appointment." Jeno told him. Mark shook his head and said "I
won't, don't worry."

He walked up the ladder again, opening the trap door and then finally made his way home. Now it
was scorching hot but Mark didn't even think of taking off his jacket and sunglasses. The last thing
he needed right now was to get recognised.

Luckily for him, he safely arrived at the apartment. He knocked on the door and a few seconds
later Haechan's head appeared. Upon seeing Mark, the smaller's face lit up and he immediately
pulled Mark inside.

"You're here and safe. I was so worried about you! But you still look hot with the hair and now the
sweaty forehead." Haechan ranted. Mark laughed at him, pulling him into a hug.

As they parted, Haechan had already started his ranting again, undressing Mark from his
sunglasses and leather coat.

"Nobody is home so if you want, we could you know.." he trailed off. Mark laughed but then said
in a much more serious tone "As much as I would like to accept the offer, we need to talk. Sit
down."

"Okay." Haechan mumbled and went to the couch. Mark followed close behind and sat down next
to Haechan. He grabbed the smaller's hands and intertwined their fingers before asking "Haechan,
would you ever leave Korea with me?"
 Chapter 22

Damn Haechan's puppy eyes, Mark thought as the smaller looked up at him and asked "What do
you mean would I ever leave Korea with you?"

"I mean if I told you I found a way to escape this situation as well as this country, would you come
with me?" Mark clarified and gulped. He looked down into his lap, not being able to look into
Haechan's eyes anymore. He didn't know why this felt so difficult because honestly if anything
Haechan should feel glad about this opportunity.

"Why? Can't we just stay here? I like living here. Also where would we go? I'm so confused."
Haechan asked, sounding unsure.

"Haechan, Taeyong is looking for us. I'm sure you remember my friends Jaemin, Jeno and Renjun
right? Taeyong searched for them to find us. He would have killed them quite possibly. I know it
might feel peaceful right now but we're in high danger." Mark tried to explain.

"He would have killed them? But Jaemin knows how to shoot a gun, I'm sure Jaemin would have
won over Taeyong." the smaller asked, reaching for Mark's hand. Mark looked up a him but it
seemed as if Haechan didn't even realise he intertwined their fingers as he was just looking out the
window, his face in confusion.

Mark chuckled at him and said "Haechan, I know Taeyong might be just a guy to you who wanted
to take you away from me but he is much more. He is way more dangerous than you realise which
is why I want the both of us to stay safe."

Haechan turned his head back to Mark. He looked at him for a while, not saying anything. The
older could feel his hand becoming sweaty but he didn't want to retreat, feeling grateful for
Haechan's small and warm hand in his own.

"You sound scared." Haechan broke the silence. His voice was completely neutral, reminding Mark
of the first days after Haechan had woken up.

He nodded and said "I am." His thumb stroked over Haechan's hand but he avoided the smaller's
eyes. He truly was scared. Knowing Taeyong was a mafia leader was one thing but seeing his
friends cramped in a bunker, not captivated solely because Renjun was fast and smart, that was
something else. It made Mark realise just how much power Taeyong actually had. Which was why
he was so eager to leave this place as soon as possible.

"You being scared is scaring me. I don't like this feeling." Haechan mumbled, squeezing Mark's
hand tighter. The latter felt a little smile creep onto his lips. Not because he found the situation
amusing but simply because of Haechan's little gesture.

As soon as the smile came it went. Now with a serious look on his face Mark told Haechan "Then
come with me. Me and my friends found a way to escape this. But I need you to come with me, I'm
not going to leave you here. The risk of Taeyong's mafia capturing you and doing horrible things to
you—"

He stopped himself from speaking any more than that. He would never allow for this to happen.
He would never leave Haechan behind. None of this was the boy's fault and he shouldn't have to
endure it in the first place. The least Mark could do now was to get them both somewhere safe.

And then Haechan spoke the words "It's alright. I will come with you." which caused Mark to let
out a relieved sigh. He looked up again, giving Haechan a smile. This one wasn't small but big and
sincere.

"Thank you." he whispered. Haechan smiled back at him and at that moment Mark once again
came to realise how much Haechan meant to him. He wasn't lying when he told Jeno he had caught
feelings for Haechan. He just wasn't really sure what kind of feelings yet.

"Mark, are you okay?" Haechan asked carefully. Mark nodded in confusion but then noticed that
he got teary-eyed. He sniffed and Haechan giggled at him, wiping one of his tears away.

"I like you so much, Chanie." Mark muttered under his breath. He was sure Haechan heard though
because the smaller scooted even closer, now cupping both of Mark's cheeks.

"Tell me why I want to cry with you. I feel so weird, it's like I'm happy because you're here but also
very sad because you're crying." he told Mark. The man laughed and sniffed, blinking the last few
tears away.

"This is the second time I cried today. I'm such a fucking cry-baby." Mark cursed to himself.

"I find it cute." Haechan smiled and then added "Also you look so weird with red eyes. A bit scary,
I will admit."

Mark rolled his eyes and scoffed, taking Haechan's hands away from his cheeks. He laid them
around his neck and then pulled Haechan closer by the waist. A faint blush appeared on Haechan's
cheeks which Mark adored very much.

"I will make sure nobody is going to hurt you. Ever." he said and then let his lips ghost over
Haechan's. The latter had his mouth slightly agape, ready to be kissed but Mark didn't fully connect
their lips. He wanted for Haechan to do it, wanted to have that affirmation that whatever this is,
wasn't one-sided.

Haechan obviously got the hint since he closed the gap between their lips by pulling Mark closer
by the neck. Mark smiled into the kiss as he felt Haechan's soft and feathery lips on his own.

It was a small kiss, a peck one might call it. But Mark still treasured it very much. Having Haechan
be the one to do the final step gave him some weird sort of relief and satisfaction like a weight was
lifted off his shoulders.

They parted shortly after, both men not meeting each other's eyes and feeling a bit flustered by the
sudden kiss. Mark broke the tension by clearing his throat and standing up, announcing he was
going to make some food.

"Are you sure? I will help you out." Haechan offered and Mark knew that he wanted to prevent any
accidents from happening. He didn't know whether to feel offended or grateful but nonetheless he
agreed to letting Haechan help him.

The two ate together and as it was late afternoon already, Johnny came home fairly soon. This time
Ten came home with him, Mark happily greeting the man. Haechan as well said hello and his
outgoing nature was shown when he and Ten easily started a conversation despite barely knowing
each other.

This gave Mark the opportunity to talk with Johnny about his plans. He sat the taller male down
and announced "Me and Haechan are probably going to leave soon. Like very, very soon."

Johnny gave him a sincere smile and said "Oh, did you find another place to stay? You know
you're welcome to stay here for as long as you want and as long as it's safe."

"I appreciate it but I don't think me and Haechan are ever going to be truly safe if we stay here.
The mafia roams around the streets and it's a miracle that they haven't found this place yet." Mark
noted.

Johnny hummed in agreement and said "Yeah, Ten told me the same. I know he is smiling with
Haechan right now but he is worried to death about Nct finding us. He suggested we probably
should move to another country."

Mark choked on air and loudly asked in between coughs "He did what?" Johnny rubbed his back
and then said "He suggested we go to China. Apparently a few of Wayv's members are from there
and it would benefit them. They could work on their stuff without having to worry about Nct and
stuff. Ten wants me to go with him there."

"And will you?" Mark asked, eyes still widened in surprise not only at the sudden news but also the
coincidence. The other tilted his head a little and replied "I guess. It's not that I necessarily want to
but it's for Ten's safety and I would do everything to protect him."

"That's sweet." Mark commented and then added "Actually I had something similar in mind with
Haechan. With a bit of luck we might also move to another country."

Johnny raised his eyebrows and asked "Oh really? Which country? China as well? Probably not."

Mark shook his head and said "I don't yet. We wouldn't go alone but with my friends who I visited
today. One of them has connections to the military and could get us illegal tickets."

"And you're sure that will work out?" the older man asked sceptically. Mark shrugged and replied
"I don't know. It's not like I have ever done this before."

This made Johnny laugh out loud. He grinned at Mark and said after calming down again "Fair
enough. Just tell us whenever and we will help you. If you want we can even take care of Yoonji, I
assume you won't be able to take her with you."

Mark nodded. As much as he would like Yoonji to stay by his side, it was probably for the better if
Johnny and Ten took care of her, especially considering the two already had a cat and it wouldn't
be much of a bother.

"That would be nice, thank you." he replied and Johnny hummed. It seems as if he could sense
Mark feeling a bit sad about it so he cracked a joke to bring back the smile onto the younger's face:

The two chatted for a bit more before Yangyang joined them for dinner. Mark enjoyed his
presence but couldn't help but notice how much chemistry Yangyang and Haechan were having.
The two were joking around constantly, making the man feel a bit left out.

However he tried his best to remain neutral. Haechan was allowed to get along well with people
and who was Mark to get jealous? They weren't a couple, friends and roommates only.

They told Yangyang goodbye later on, Mark making sure that both him and Haechan properly said
goodbye as this might have been the last time they were talking to each other. Yangyang seemed to
be a bit perplexed when Mark hugged him for longer than usual and thanked him quietly, however
only patted the man's back and whispered "It's all cool. Don't worry about it man."

Mad so the night came. Mark already knew Haechan would join him on the couch as soon as the
younger snuggled into his side when the sun set. Not that Mark was complaining, he loved having
the smaller tugged under his arm.

"Where would you like to go? Which country, I mean?" Haechan asked him sleepily as they
watched the last few sun rays disappear behind the city's skyline.

"I don't know. I was thinking about Canada. Me and my parents used to live there but then they
moved to Korea. Big mistake if you ask me. Canada has been holding up pretty well with all the
climate crisis shit." Mark told him. He felt Haechan's head lean onto his shoulder and his heart
skipped a beat. It was unexplainable why these little gestures meant so much to Mark but whenever
Haechan did something like this his heart would go crazy.

"Canada sounds good. I mean not that I would know but I trust your intuition." Haechan mumbled
and turned his head so his face was buried in Mark's shoulder. The latter chuckled and patted
Haechan's hazel brown hair. It was so soft and fluffy that Mark couldn't resist put run his fingers
through it.

"Then let's go with Canada." he whispered and kissed the top of Haechan's head. The other nodded
and soon fell asleep. His steady breathing made Mark sleepy as well and soon enough he closed his
eyes to fall asleep next to Haechan.

The next day they met with Jeno, Renjun and Jaemin as promised on the market. All five of them
were disguised in one way or another. Renjun's disguise was the best though as obviously no one
was going to recognise him in his cat form.

"Let's go somewhere more private." Jeno mumbled in Mark's ear as they were strolling around the
market. The older nodded and guided them to Johnny's shop where the tall man agreed to have
them sit in a little corner to chat.

"We have the money and already packed our things. I am going to miss our store though." Jaemin
told Mark who nodded and replied "Haechan agreed to the deal and we're also pretty much ready
to go whenever."

"Now the problem is where do we actually want to go?" Jeno asked. Mark's eyes went to Haechan
who gave Mark a nod and so the man said "We thought of Canada. I have the English skills and
Jaemin, as far as I know, you can also speak English?"

"It's pretty broken but yeah. What about you Haechan?" Jaemin asked, giving the boy a bright
smile. Haechan, obviously happy to see Jaemin again, replied "My AI makes it way easier for me
to learn anything, including languages. It shouldn't take me all too long to be at a decent level."

"That's so cool." Jeno whispered and stared at the blushing Haechan. Mark nodded and then turned
back to Jaemin.

"If you three need time to talk about it that's completely fine. We don't have to go right now
however I don't feel like risking my life for any longer than necessary." he told his friends.

"Ah, give us like five minutes." Jaemin replied and held up Renjun from his lap. The hybrid hissed
and Jaemin let him down into the floor where Renjun changed into his human form. Jeno
immediately offered him his jacket so he could cover up and then the three walked a bit farther
away while Mark and Haechan were just waiting.

"You think they will agree?" the younger asked. Mark shrugged and said "I hope so. I can
somehow see us all going to Canada. Oh, I bet you would love it there. The air is so different and
it's so much greener and prettier than in Korea. Especially if you're only used to the dirty streets of
Seoul."

Haechan nodded, his fluffy hair bouncing a little. Mark couldn't stop but stare at him. It must look
creepy but Haechan was just so beautiful with his tan skin, plump, almost doll-like lips and pretty
brown eyes which were currently looking like crescent moons from his smile.

Mark's heart eyes got disturbed when his three friends returned. He looked up at Jeno who gave
him a nod and said "Okay, we will do it. If you have the money here Jaemin can buy the tickets
today and we could be taking the flight by tomorrow or the day after."

It felt rushed, too soon. But Mark agreed and gave Jaemin the money. He knew the longer the stay
here in Seoul, the bigger the chance of them getting kidnapped by Nct once again. And this time
their stay would most likely end in their death.

"I will text you the details. Stay alert and text me if something happens. And remember you can't
change your mind now. You too, Haechan." Jaemin announced. Both men nodded and then they
quickly said their goodbyes.

Renjun turned back and the three left Johnny's store. Haechan and Mark helped out Johnny for
about an hour just to show their thankfulness before strolling around the market. They bought a few
necessities they would have to bring to Canada.

It sounded crazy. Mark would have never thought in his life he could ever return to the country.
Only as a little child he had lived there, the memories of the green big forest and beautiful cities
fainting with each year he got older. A little smile had crept on his lips as he realised how proud
his parents would be of him that he was going back.

They hadn't wanted to leave Canada in the first place, however as the climate got worse and wars
started to happen, South Korea called its citizens home. And therefore Mark had moved back to
Korea when he was barely twelve years old. Luckily for him his parents had continued talking in
English with him so now he was fluent.

He missed his parents right now, he realised as he watched Haechan pick out a toothbrush. Ever
since their death in a car crash (one of the first flying cars) he never really had the time to mourn
them. He was barely eighteen when it happened and soon had to learn how to survive in one of the
rather poor districts of Seoul.

Then he got to know Jeno and Jaemin and the two helped him immensely, not only in building up
his life but also as emotional support. Now escaping this hellhole with them was something Mark
couldn't quite yet grasp his mind around.

They returned home and Mark informed Ten and Johnny. Both men seemed like they didn't know
whether to feel sad or happy and Mark told them it was okay if they felt both.

He himself did feel a bit emotional as well when he felt Johnny tightly hugging him before going to
bed. After all, the man had watched him grow, back from when he was eighteen to now as a fully
grown adult.

"Take care, okay. I don't know if we will see each other in the morning but if we don't I want you
to know I'm proud of you and you have my number so if there is anything, I'm here for you dude."
Johnny told him. Mark nodded into his chest and squeezed a tiny bit tighter before finally letting
the man go.

He walked to Ten and told the man goodnight too. Ten smiled at him and Mark thought of how
much he owed him so he said "Thank you so much, really. You got us out of the headquarters and I
don't know how to thank you. Please also tell that to Kun, Yangyang and Lucas. I wish you guys
all the best.

"I will! And don't sweat it, it was just basic human decency." Ten smiled and then said goodnight
to Haechan as well.

"Sleep well you two. You will need all the sleep you can get, believe me." he told them and then
they all bid their goodbyes.

The door closed behind Johnny and Ten and Mark told Haechan he would take a quick shower
before going to bed. Haechan nodded and stared out the window. Mark couldn't even imagine what
he must be thinking right now. If the thought of tomorrow was scary to Mark then it must be
terrifying to Haechan who had never seen anything else than a few streets in Seoul.

So when Mark came back he cuddled under the covers next to Haechan and whispered "It'll be
alright." before wrapping his arms around Haechan's waist.

"I hope so." Haechan whispered back, his voice a bit more weakly than Mark's. Neither of them
knew if it would actually be alright. There were so many things that could go wrong. They could
get caught by the police or by Nct or they could take the wrong flight or they could get trapped or
whatever. But Mark tried to not think of all those possibilities. It would be him and Haechan with
his friends in Canada. It would be alright.
 Chapter 23

The morning felt rushed. Mark woke up to Haechan being already awake and eating his breakfast
in the kitchen. Mark joined him and then quickly checked if they had all their belongings which
were stuffed into one little bag.

"I can't believe we're about to do this." he mumbled as he checked his messages. Jeno had texted
him a place and time to meet but it was a bit far so they would have to go early.

"You better use the toilet now." Mark advised Haechan who laughed but still went nonetheless. In
the meantime Mark checked the rooms for Johnny or Ten but both of them were gone already,
Johnny probably at his shop and Ten working with WayV.

After Haechan came back, they made sure to leave the apartment clean and tidy. They had only
stayed two days but Mark still felt resentful leaving this place. It had given him a safety which he
wasn't sure he would have the next time.

The worst thing however was saying goodbye to Yoonji. The cat obviously had no clue what was
going on as she only purred into their hands when they petted her for the last time.

"I will miss her so much." Haechan mumbled. Mark hummed in agreement and kissed the top of
Yoonji's head. She hissed and pulled away, making both men giggle at her.

"Are you ready?" Mark asked Haechan, now being serious again.

"As ready as I can be, which is not a lot but I trust you." the smaller replied and took Mark's free
hand. The man squeezed it and then the two left the apartment.

It was quite a long walk through the city of Seoul but Mark didn't mind it. His one hand carried
their bag, his other was holding Haechan's hand. He felt okay like this and the fresh and still cool
morning air calmed his nerves.

Of course he was anxious though. He wondered how they were going to get to Canada, Jeno had
only texted him they would be taking a flight to Vancouver which would take about 10 hours. Not
something he was really looking forward to, especially since he wasn't really sure what kind of
flight they would be boarding.

Suddenly Mark's wristwatch vibrated, indicating that he was getting a call. He detached his hand
from Haechan's who let out a little whine but didn't complain as he saw Mark answering.

"Hey Jeno, what's up!" he greeted his friend. Jeno on the other line was mumbling something Mark
couldn't understand so he asked "Speak up, I can't understand you."

"You and Haechan have to hurry! The plane is going in half an hour." Jeno replied, being audible
this time. Mark gasped upon hearing this and tugged at Haechan's sleeve. He dragged the smaller
to go faster and the two rushed even more while Mark was still on the line with Jeno.

"We're coming as fast as we can!" the older male told his friend who hummed. He stayed on the
line but the two didn't talk. Mark was sweating, the sun burning down onto the top of their heads.
The air had now warmed up and was humid and stuffy.

Finally he and Haechan arrived at a big building, obviously some kind of military airport. Mark
gulped, staring up at the high walls. He could hear an airplane landing and despite them being
several hundred of meters away from the actual landing lane, the noise was incredibly loud.

"I see you!" Jeno exclaimed on the other side of the line. Mark helplessly turned around, his eyes
scanning the whole area for his friends. It took Jeno and Jaemin both waving their arms and calling
out Mark's and Haechan's name until Mark had finally spotted them. The two rushed over and gave
their friends a hug before Mark turned his head to Jaemin.

"So what's the procedure?" he asked, his voice raised due to all the loud noise surrounding them.

"We're going to take a military airplane which will lessen the flight time to nine hours. But we
have to sit all cramped with a few other illegal travelers, I hope you don't mind it." the man told
Mark who bit his lip.

Of course this wasn't a luxurious first class flight but if it meant he and his friends could be safe he
would survive those nine hours.

"We will land at a military base near Vancouver and then somehow have to find a way to the city.
It shouldn't be all too far." Jaemin explained and then added "Money should luckily not be the
problem. Won is having a high value at the moment so exchanging them for Dollars is easy. Like
that we can get some papers."

Mark nodded. He hadn't even thought about that yet. In fact there were so many things missing, so
many flaws in their plan. But by now it was far too late to turn back. He would have to deal with it.

The five men entered the building where Jaemin talked with one of the officers. He looked them all
up and down and then scanned each one of them with an iron detector.

Of course it went off at Haechan, sending Mark into panic. Haechan himself however remained
calm and lied to the officers face that he had an accident and therefore the buttons behind his left
ear were important for him to hear. The accident thing wasn't so far from the truth but Mark got
chills when he saw how easily Haechan lied to the man.

Whether the man actually believed Haechan or not was a different question though. He was a
military security guard after all and Mark bet he had seen some shit already. He gave Haechan a
testing look but Haechan stared right back into the guard's eyes before the man finally let him go,
eyeing him up and down one last time.

They passed the security system and Mark could now only faintly hear the guard talking with
someone. They showed their tickets to another officer and then were guided to a little seating area.
It was separated into two parts, one obviously for high class military staff and the other for people
like them who paid money to get a flight.

Mark wondered how much the military needed the money if they illegally sold tickets to people. If
he hadn't known any better he would've thought the government would've long stopped the illegal
passengers but seeing as they were quite a few people here that wasn't the case. But it kind of made
sense since the government or rather the police could barely even protect a few high class districts
of Seoul. Guess the illegal passengers were one of the government's least threatening problems.

They settled down but only for a few minutes before their flight already got called out. While
waiting to board, Mark mustered the people around them who they would be sharing a flight with.

Most of them were similar to his friends. Young people and couples, all looking scared but
determined to go on that plane. Here and there you could see a elderly people as well, mostly men
who were probably old veterans, wanting to escape the hellhole that Korea had became.
As they waited in the queue, Haechan suddenly tugged at Mark's sleeve. The man turned to him
with a questioning look. Haechan better not chicken out now.

"What is it?" Mark asked him in a whisper voice.

"Look, there's that man from when we were in that bunker." Haechan mumbled, subtly cocking his
head to the side. Mark followed his direction and his heart stopped for a second as he saw Jaehyun.

The man was currently talking to one of the officers at the ticket counter. He was laying out a
piece of paper and even from a distance Mark could tell it was a picture of Haechan. He cursed
under his breath and quietly told Jeno about their problem.

"We have to hurry then. They won't stop the flight once it's in the air. Even Taeyong doesn't have
that power." Jeno told Mark.

"Haechan, put on this hoodie." Mark instructed and pulled out one of his only hoodies from their
bag. Haechan looked at him as if he was crazy, understandably so as it was extremely hot in the
building and the air conditioning wasn't working whatsoever.

"Why would I put that on? I'm literally sweating right now." the small male protested but Mark
gave him a look and ordered with a stern voice "Put it on. It's for your own safety."

"And make sure the hood hides your face." Jeno added as they moved forward in the queue.
Haechan sighed in annoyance but did it nonetheless. Mark had almost cooed at the sulky boy if it
wasn't for them being in a highly dangerous situation right now.

His eyes fell back to Jaehyun who luckily was still arguing with the officer at the counter.
Obviously it wasn't going how Jaehyun wanted as Mark saw the man's fingers on the gun in his
holster. He cursed under his breath because once Jaehyun would have convinced the officer, and
that would inevitably happen if he openly showed his gun, then Mark and basically all of them
were in trouble.

"Can't they just hurry up?" Renjun muttered impatiently. He too seemed to have caught onto the
situation as his worried eyes switched back and forth between Jaehyun in the distance, Haechan
and the queue in front of them.

"Fucking hell." Jeno whispered and nudged Mark's side. The man looked up and saw that Jaehyun
had finally gotten his way and was now talking to a few security guards.

This wasn't good, like at all. Even though it was already Renjun's turn to board they could still get
stopped. Mark let Haechan go before him so at least he would be safe if Jaehyun was to walk up to
them right now. The man was already looking around scanning the area. The only reason why he
hadn't spotted them yet was probably Haechan's hoodie and Mark's dyed hair plus his sunglasses.

As soon as he boarded himself and was let through, Mark ran down the hallway to the plane,
catching up to Haechan. They hurriedly walked through the first class seating area where all the
military staff sat.

Mark pulled away the curtain that was separating the two areas and then found himself squeezed
between Haechan and Jaemin. This airplane didn't have rows like a usual airplane but only two long
rows of seats on each side of the plane. Almost all of them were occupied with people, those same
people they had been waiting with. Now Mark knew what Jaemin meant when he sat that they
would be cramped together with other people.

However he pushed that thought to the back of his head and instead concentrated on the problem at
hand right now. Over speakers they were instructed to put on their seatbelts. Mark did so, tightly
holding onto his and Haechan's bag as there was no storage space for it.

"Come on, why can't we just take off?!" Jaemin muttered next to him. Renjun who sat on the other
row, right in front of them, said "Because we don't want this airplane to go down before it has even
taken off. But they closed the doors already so if that guy wanted to come on board he would have
to hurry."

Upon hearing this Mark felt a bit relieved. The more distance between them and Jaehyun the better.
Still his adrenaline was pumping through his blood as he kept on checking the curtains dividing
the two areas. He wished he could've taken his gun with him, just in case, but obviously that wasn't
possible.

He felt a small hand in his own and looked to his side where Haechan just gave him a subtle smile.
Mark weakly smiled back and tried not to show how anxious he actually was.

An announcement was made, they would depart in a few minutes. Mark chewed on his lower lip
but looked at Haechan again when he felt his hand getting squeezed tightly.

"Relax. It's going to be okay." Haechan assured him in a whisper voice. Mark gulped and took a
deep breath. His eyes automatically wandered back to the curtain but Haechan cleared his throat.
Mark giggled, realising that the boy was trying to distract him.

Then the airplane moved, moving each passenger's body. Haechan held onto Mark tightly and
Jaemin also grabbed onto Mark's arm for support as the airplane was rolling over the lane to get
into departure position.

"Please just take off." Mark whispered to himself. He wanted to be sure that Jaehyun hadn't
succeeded, he wanted to be sure that they were finally safe.

Another minute passed, dragging itself out slow and painfully. Mark felt claustrophobic in the
small and cramped space but tried to not make his panic too obvious. The least thing he could use
right now was a panic attack.

"Markie?" Haechan asked, again whispering so the nickname was only heard by the two of them.
The older felt a heat rise in his cheeks as he realised what Haechan had called him. He hummed to
signalise that he was listening.

"Want me to talk to you so you can focus on something else?" Haechan asked. Mark felt confused
but considered the offer. He had no idea why Haechan suggested that but agreed nonetheless,
solely because he could not resist the other.

"Sure, please go ahead." he told Haechan who nodded and then quietly started rambling to Mark
about how he imagined Canada to be like. The older man just watched him in awe, listening
carefully and letting out little giggles whenever Haechan would joke around. The boy's nose
scrunches and his eyes which were filled with excitement would be the death of him.

And so he barely even realised when they took off, barely even realised that they had been flying
for twenty minutes already when Haechan finally ended his rant.

"Thank you so much. I promise I'll make sure you get to experience Canada to the fullest." he
stated, looking at

. The latter pouted his lips into a little kiss face before leaning against Mark's shoulder and closing
his eyes, presumably to take a nap.
Just now Mark finally felt a huge weight lifted off his shoulders. They had made it. He looked at
Renjun and Jeno in front of him and both of them were wearing big smiles on their faces. They
weren't looking at Mark though but at Jaemin next to him. The oldest male snickered to himself at
how whipped Renjun and Jeno were for Jaemin who had closed his eyes as well.

Sadly Mark's euphoric mood didn't last all that long. After all, he had to kill about eight more hours
in a small and cramped space with a shit ton of strangers. Most of them just tried to sleep like
Haechan or Jaemin but others talked as well and the smell inside the room didn't better itself either.

Mark told himself to get sleep as well. If his calculations were right they would land in the
morning in Canada so it was only good to sleep according to Canada's time zone.

The hours came and went by. Mark couldn't tell for how long he had been on the plane by now. He
dozed off and then woke up again only to go back to sleep. Haechan didn't seem to have that
problem as he was still fast asleep on Mark's shoulder.

The feeling of his hand in Mark's would follow the latter into his dreams where it would be just
him and Haechan together. The location differed for each dream but the dream's content was
mostly the same.

Just them cuddling, staying together, going on dates and occasionally a few kisses. Whenever Mark
woke up he wanted to hold on to the dream just like he was holding onto Haechan's hand the whole
time. It was just so bittersweet knowing that in his dreams he could call Haechan his own while in
real life Haechan wasn't even aware of how much Mark liked him.

They flew through the night and then into the sunset. After hours and hours Haechan finally woke
up, obviously feeling great. He stretched himself, accidentally hitting the man next to him. Mark
had to hold back a laugh as Haechan apologised dramatically.

"When will we arrive?" he asked after he had finally let out his last apology. Mark shrugged in
response and said "Maybe another hour? We can't be far anymore, that's for sure."

And surely enough after about fifty minutes of them just quietly chatting to each other, the
announcement was made that they would land soon. Mark didn't fear the landing, Haechan
however seemed to find it a bit scary as he winced once the airplane rumbled over the landing lane.
Mark made sure to hold his hand and stroke it with his thumb, a subtle but helpful way of assuring
Haechan it would be alright.

After the landing the exited the airplane as soon as possible and got transported to the back of the
military airport where one of the officers just advised them with broken Korean to take the next
bus into Vancouver. And then they were free.

All five of them just stood outside the airport for a while, nobody saying anything. Not one of them
was able to already comprehend that they were in a completely different country, with a different
language and different culture. So when the bus came around, Mark was surprised to find it flying
as well. Of course, it only made sense as flying cars existed but Mark never in his life had seen a
flying bus. In fact he only knew busses from when he stayed in Canada as a child as in Seoul he
would always walk by foot.

"Let's go?" he turned to his friends who all nodded hesitantly and entered the bus. Mark paid all
their tickets, not caring about Jeno's and Jaemin's protests. Renjun didn't protest but the small male
looked like he was still in a trance, his wide eyes scanning the whole area several times. Mark let
out a chuckle at his friend which turned into a laugh once he saw Renjun's cat ears poking out his
hair. Immediately both Jeno and Jaemin scolded Renjun for not wearing something to hide them
but he only hissed and pulled up his hood.

Feeling as it definitely was colder, even though they were seated in the bus now, Mark also put on
a hoodie. Haechan hadn't even taken his off, making Mark wonder how he survived in the heat of
the airplane.

The bus brought them into Vancouver and let them out near the city's official airport. Since that
location had been chosen there were a lot of hotels around, one of which Mark pointed at. They
agreed to go and stay there for the next few days until they had settled.

Jaemin asked for a room for himself, Jeno and Renjun in his broken English while Mark did the
same for him and Haechan. He felt weird using his mother tongue after so many years. In general
this whole situation was confusing but weirdly nostalgic. The familiar air he only knew from his
childhood memories, the language and the people, he had missed it but felt like he wasn't part of it
after all.

Jaemin told Mark they would meet each other the next morning in the lobby. Mark nodded in
understanding, he himself felt like he had been close enough with them for the past ten hours so
now a little space felt appropriate.

He took Haechan to their room, the smaller just gaping at each and everything. Mark had to remind
himself that this was all totally new to Haechan and when the boy asked him all these questions he
felt thrown back to when they first met.

"Haechannie, we did it." he stated as he let himself plop onto the big king-sized bed of their hotel
room. Haechan crawled onto the bed as well and nodded "Yes, we did it."
 Chapter 24

The rest of the day was relatively chill, as it should be since Mark had lived through enough stress
in the morning. Him and Haechan unpacked their things which really wasn't all that much. Mark
had brought a few of the clothes Johnny had given him and the stuff they bought on the market
place before like toiletries and such.

Speaking of Johnny Mark remembered to text the man that he had safely arrived. He didn't expect
Johnny to answer soon though, he had probably other stuff to do than to check up on Mark.

Afterwards Haechan begged Mark to go outside so they or rather Haechan could get to know this
place. Mark didn't mind it but resisted for a while just to see Haechan's cute sulking. The way his
lips formed a pout as he begged Mark with his puppy eyes made his stomach do somersaults and as
much as he tried to tell himself he wasn't addicted he knew it was a lie. He was pretty much
addicted to anything Haechan did.

And so of course when the younger pleaded for Mark to translate everything that they would come
across on their way through the city, Mark would translate it. Each sign, each price tag, each little
word of conversation they were picking up while passing by strangers.

Haechan dragged Mark into a convenience store, wanting to see if there was any difference to
Korea. He was stunned by the different customers as he wasn't used to seeing non-korean people.
Mark just found it adorable but told Haechan to ask his questions quietly, not wanting to come off
as rude to the strangers.

They bought a few snacks and shampoo since they would be living in the hotel room for a while.
Haechan clung onto Mark, never leaving his side. The new surroundings seemed to intimidate him.

After hours and hours of strolling around the area, the two finally returned to the hotel and went to
the room. They ate a few snacks and when they finished the sky was already becoming darker and
darker. Mark changed into a basic shirt and shorts before throwing himself onto the bed, turning on
the TV.

"I'll go take a shower. I need to wash off all the sweat." Haechan informed him. Mark hummed to
show his acknowledgment and then focused back on the TV. The programs here were very
different from those in Korea. They were actually talking about the world and the quality was
better than his TV back in Korea.

Feeling tired, Mark put down the volume and leaned against the headboard of the bed. He could
feel his eyes closing but at least wanted to wait for Haechan to come back before going to sleep.

It was quiet in the room besides the TV playing in the background. Mark wasn't asleep but he
wasn't fully awake either, kind of dozing off. He tried to stay awake though, the bright flashes of
light from the TV screen helping him. They were the only source of light in the room as it was
completely dark outside now.

Haechan came back from his shower, only wearing one of the big T-Shirts. Mark opened his arm
for the man to cuddle into which he did, putting his head into the crook of Mark's neck. They didn't
talk, only watched as the Canadian news were announced, barely audible since the volume was so
low.

Haechan laid one leg over Mark's body and the older leg out a breathy sigh of content as he felt
Haechan snuggle even closer. He could feel the smaller's breath on his neck, the steady rhythm of
it only calming him down further.

"Let's stay like this." he whispered and Haechan hummed against his neck. A shiver went down
Mark's spine when he felt the other's lips press against the sensitive skin. He didn't comment
however, just let Haechan do whatever, enjoying the soft kisses on his neck.

With his lips Haechan travelled farther down until he reached the rim of Mark's shirt. He pulled
down a bit and lazily let his lips wet Mark's collar bone. The older man quietly gasped at the
sudden coolness. He had his eyes closed, not only because he was so sleepy but also because it
intensified the sensation of Haechan's actions.

His hand rested on Haechan's hair, tugging it ever so slightly when the smaller started sucking on
his neck. The familiar feeling of warmth flooded Mark's lower stomach as he bit his lip, trying not
to emit any sounds that could give away how much Haechan's actions affected him.

"What are you doing?" he whispered lowly. Haechan finally detached his lips and raised his head a
bit to look up at Mark while saying "I don't know. I just felt like it."

"I better not have any hickeys tomorrow." Mark mumbled. Actually he didn't care much about the
hickeys but saying this bought him a few seconds in which he could compose himself.

"Why? Nobody cares and I like giving you hickeys. It makes you go all squirmish." Haechan
giggled. Indeed it did, Mark admitted to himself. He rolled his eyes and ruffled Haechan's hair. The
latter let his head fall back down onto Mark's chest. The man closed his eyes again, feeling a few
little circles being drawn on his chest by Haechan.

"Ah stop it. I can't fall asleep if you do that." he mumbled. Haechan did stop but said softly "That's
the point. I don't want you to fall asleep, I want to spend some more time with you."

Mark's heart started beating rapidly at those sweet words and he was sure Haechan must have
noticed since his head was laying right on his rib cage.

"You can spend time with me while I'm asleep though." Mark commented. He knew that wasn't
what Haechan meant but a little teasing couldn't hurt.

"But when you're asleep I can't make you squirm. And I want to because it's fun. Makes me feel
good." Haechan replied and continued drawing circles on the fabric of Mark's shirt. The latter
hummed and took his free hand to guide Haechan's over his chest. He made Haechan draw little
hearts at which they both giggled at.

Once he stopped Haechan raised his head again, now leaning onto his arm so his face was
hovering over Mark's. The man opened his eyes when he felt the movements and just looked up at
Haechan, interlocking their eyes.

"You are so pretty." he mumbled under his breath. Even in the dim light he could tell that Haechan
was blushing. The smaller male broke their eye contact and instead looked at Mark's lips.

"Wanna kiss you." he whispered.

"Then do it." Mark whispered back.

And so Haechan leaned down and pressed his lips against Mark's who wrapped his arm around
Haechan's neck to keep him close. It was a soft, sleepy kiss. Very slow, very tender but passionate
enough for Mark to blend out the rest of the world.
He let his other arm wrap around Haechan's neck as well. The smaller used his arms to hold his
body up. Seeing as Mark didn't want to strain him, the man turned them around and now it was
him on his knees, hovering above Haechan.

He detached his lips and gave Haechan's nose a peck. Haechan gave him a bright smile, his eyes a
bit glossy. The kiss seemed to have a big effect on him as he whined out loud at the loss and tried
to pull Mark's head back down again.

"God, you're such a baby." Mark laughed. He caressed Haechan's cheeks who gave him a pout and
said "Don't call me baby."

"Why not? You are one, look at how you're acting right now." Mark jokingly teased him and then
pecked his nose again afterwards. Haechan let out a little sigh and then softly shook his head.

"It's not that. It's just you calling me baby makes me feel all tingly and weird again." he quietly
admitted. Mark raised one eyebrow and noted "That is so adorable, holy shit."

"Stop it!" Haechan whined and Mark laughed at him. He reconnected their lips, this time in a more
fierce and lusty kiss. He could hear and feel Haechan only whining further against his lips so he
quickly parted and asked "Is this okay for you?"

Haechan nodded eagerly and said "Yes, except now you're the one making me squirm." Mark
snorted and let his lips smash into Haechan's again. He bit down the smaller's lower lip causing
Haechan to let out a yelp. Mark took that opportunity to insert his tongue into his mouth, exploring
it thoroughly.

With his knees he spread Haechan's thighs and let his one leg rub against the boy's crotch. He felt
the heat radiating from it and was pretty certain Haechan already had a boner. This suspicion was
confirmed when Haechan let his hip grind against his knee.

Mark enjoyed it very much but at the same time felt his body going tired from all the movement.
He decided to be mean to Haechan and detached his lips as well as removing his leg and rolling off
to the side.

"Ah, I'm tired. We should sleep." he said. While that wasn't a lie, he also exaggerated a little by
letting out a yawn. Haechan obviously wasn't happy as Mark had just totally cock blocked him. He
raised to his arms and gave Mark a glare, ordering "No, you're going to finish what you're started."

But Mark just laughed at him and questioned "And that would be?" He could tell Haechan was
taken aback as suddenly he went all quiet, not wanting to admit how easily Mark made him horny.

"Forget about it." he mumbled and snuggled into Mark's side again. Mark could literally feel
Haechan's boner against his hip but he wanted for Haechan to be the one initiating it, just to tease
him. And he could tell Haechan was close to snapping quite a few times while they were just
laying there in silence, eyes on the TV again.

Mark closed his eyes, feeling the tiredness spread throughout his body. But he could also feel
Haechan moving a lot against him, searching for some sort of friction to satisfy his needs.

"Mark please?" the boy mumbled, very quietly. Mark could hear the humiliation in his voice and
had to bite back a smirk while asking "Please what?"

"God, this is so embarrassing." Haechan mumbled against the skin of his neck. Mark now just let
the grin spread over his face as he said "I know. Now tell me what you want."
"Please can we have sex? I need it." Haechan muttered so quietly that Mark almost hadn't caught it.
But he did and let out a breathy chuckle.

"Aren't you desperate?" he sneered at Haechan who let out a whine and let his hip grind against
Mark's side. Mark loved having him being so needy. Maybe he was a little sadistic but he could tell
how turned on Haechan was from this. The more Mark teased him, the needier the boy got.

"Please Mark?" Haechan asked again, his voice already weak. Mark let out a jokingly annoyed sigh
and said "Fine but just because you won't let me sleep otherwise."

He opened his eyes and raised himself up. Haechan was just laying there, desperate for any touch.
His hair was disheveled, his cheeks were flushed and even from the distance Mark could feel how
hot he was.

"Look at you. I haven't done anything and you're already squirmy. Isn't it funny how fast it goes?"
Mark teased. Haechan opened his mouth to reply but just let out a moan when Mark grabbed his
thighs harshly. He pulled them open and once again let his knee rest against Haechan's crotch.

"Take your shirt off." he ordered and Haechan obeyed, practically ripping the fabric off his body.
Mark could see the sweat glistening on Haechan's chest and forehead. His eyes travelled over his
stomach down to his waistband where Mark planted a few little kisses. Haechan was quick to bury
his hands in Mark's hair and let out a moan when Mark pulled down the waistband.

Haechan's boner sprung free and Mark took it into his hand. Feeling the dick literally twitch inside
his palm made Mark realise just how much power he was holding over Haechan. Sure, Mark
himself was feeling hot but that didn't compare to the other who constantly let out whines and
moans. And Mark hadn't even started yet.

"So needy.." he trailed off. He saw a blush spread over Haechan's cheeks while he pulled down
Haechan's boxers completely. He then took off his own shirt and pants, quickly because he knew
how on edge Haechan was right now.

He pulled Haechan's legs open again and kissed his inner thighs, taking his sweet time to suck and
bruise the tan skin. Haechan's leg was shaking a little so Mark let his hand grip it tightly.

"I'm gonna finger you open, is that okay?" he asked. Haechan only nodded, not being able to form
words. The only sounds escaping his mouth were moans and groans.

Mark took Haechan's dick in his one hand and gave it a few strokes. With his other hand he pulled
the smaller's waist closer to him and inserted one of his fingers.

He checked Haechan's face to see if it was okay to move. The boy's mouth was agape but otherwise
he seemed fine so Mark decided to move his finger. Since he hadn't used any lube it was a bit dry
so Mark spit on his finger before inserting it again.

"More please!" Haechan pleaded. Mark hummed and added a second finger, scissoring him open.
He could feel Haechan clench around him and the tight feel travelled right to his own pants.

With each thrust of Mark's fingers Haechan's moans became louder. It got to the point where Mark
had to come up again and shut him up with his lips so Haechan would stay quiet.

The kiss was rough and sloppy. They made out until they ran out of breath. Mark pulled away,
panting heavily. He looked down at Haechan who still had his eyes closed. When he too opened
his eyes he looked up at Mark with his puppy eyes which were so glassy Mark could almost see his
reflection in them.
He gave Haechan a little smirk and then suddenly thrusted his fingers once again, brushing over
Haechan's prostate. The reaction came immediately, Haechan let out a small wince and his mouth
fell agape.

Mark licked his lips at the image and moved his fingers in a circle motion to stimulate Haechan
further. The boy buried his hands in Mark's hair and pulled him close. Mark could feel him
trembling under him.

"More!" he mumbled and Mark chuckled "Baby, you think you can take my dick when you're
already shaking at my fingers?"

"I need you, Mark.." Haechan mumbled, the end of the sentence transitioning into a whine at the
loss of Mark's fingers. The man held two fingers of his other hand for Haechan to suck on and the
man did. He coated Mark's fingers in saliva, giving Mark those damn puppy eyes while doing so.

The man could feel his boner getting even harder at that so it was a relief when he pulled his
fingers out of Haechan's mouth and pulled down the waistband of his boxers to coat his dick with
Haechan's saliva. It wasn't as good as lube but at least they used something.

He put Haechan's legs up and then guided his length to his hole. Slowly he pushed in, always
checking up on Haechan to make sure he wasn't hurting.

"Give me one second." the boy mumbled once Mark was all in. The latter hummed and leaned
forward to kiss Haechan on the lips, easing him into the unfamiliar feeling.

"Can I move?" he asked after parting from Haechan. The smaller nodded and Mark slowly thrusted
in and out. Haechan was so tight he felt like he was going to come any second and he had barely
even started yet.

Haechan, too, seemed to get more impatient as he wiggled his hips. Mark pulled one of his legs up
to thrust in deeper and knew he had hit that spot once Haechan cried out. His whole body trembled
and Mark kept one hand on the man's waist to keep him somewhat calm.

"Ngh, please go harder!" Haechan moaned. Mark wanted to buy even in his lust clouded mind he
felt like teasing Haechan so he whispered lowly "Go beg for it! Show me you really want it."

He saw Haechan gulp and then let out another whine due to Mark's tip brushing over his prostate.
He could barely form words but nonetheless begged "I need you, Mark! Please fuck me so hard I
forget my name! I need it!"

"Your wish is my command." Mark mumbled and finally allowed himself to go faster and harder.
He thrusted into Haechan at an animalistic pace.

Haechan was so ecstatic to the point of only stuttering little pleads, unable to form any other words.
When Mark found his prostate again the boy was only able to release whines and moans.

Mark saw stars, feeling himself coming already. So he slowed down his thrusts and wrapped a
hand around Haechan's throat. He leaned down and whispered "God, you will be the death of me."

Haechan opened his eyes and despite the raging heat in Mark's lower stomach, despite him literally
fucking Haechan's brain out he couldn't help but coo at the boy's adorable, desperate face.

"You wanna come, Chanie?" he asked hoarsely, tightening his grip around Haechan's throat. The
other didn't seem to mind that as he only nodded eagerly and muttered softly "Please, I wanna
finish."
Mark hummed and then suddenly picked up his pace again, taking Haechan by surprise. The latter
opened his mouth wide and Mark couldn't help but take the opportunity to insert his tongue into
Haechan's mouth.

He was going so fast he could barely even feel Haechan clenching around him but he still noticed
it. He hit the boy's prostate one, two, three times before Haechan finally let out a long high pitched
moan and came into his own stomach. Mark followed shortly, finally letting go of the heat in his
crotch.

His fingers fell from Haechan's throat and gripped the pillow tightly as he released right into
Haechan. Letting out a row of curses, he let his head drop to Haechan's chest. His body was just too
heavy for him to hold it up anymore.

Somewhere in the distance he could hear Haechan's pants and the boy's rapid heart beat against his
chest. Mark allowed himself to ride out his orgasm, letting the waves of pure bliss roll over him.
He couldn't think, only felt the euphoria of his orgasm.

Slowly the clouds lifted from his mind and Mark pulled out. Haechan let out a yelp at the
overstimulation the older's actions were causing him.

Mark held himself up with both his arms and Haechan, with his eyes still closed, pulled him down
to reconnect their lips. This time in a slow, sleepy kiss.

"I love you." Mark mumbled against Haechan's lips.

"I love you too." Haechan replied. Mark tilted his head. The words had left his mouth without him
thinking about them and neither of them really took notice of it as they both were still high off their
post-orgasm.

Haechan squirmed, now feeling the impact of their rough sex. Mark noticed and said "We should
wash up. You literally came untouched."

Haechan hummed, obviously not wanting to move though. Mark sighed, completely relating to
him. All his muscles screamed at him to lay back down but he stood up nonetheless and took off
his pants. He jumped into the shower and quickly rinsed off the sweat before wetting one towel
and cleaning off Haechan with it. The boy still made no effort to move but Mark doubted he even
could. His ass must hurt like shit.

After cleaning Haechan off he dried himself and then put on a new shirt and some boxers. He
advised Haechan to do the same but Haechan only said "I can't move."

"Okay, okay." Mark replied and cuddled next to Haechan who immediately climbed into him.
Mark couldn't help but let out a chuckle as Haechan had literally just said he couldn't move.
However he didn't comment and allowed for Haechan to bury his head into the crook of his neck.
It was the same position in which they started the whole thing.

Their breaths became steady and Mark felt his eyes close automatically. He was so incredibly tired.
One more minute and he would be knocked out.

"I meant it by the way. I do love you." Haechan said quietly.

"I know. I meant it too. I love you so much it's painful." Mark replied. And it was true, he did love
Haechan. With his whole heart he loved every single thing, every single detail about the boy.

"Excuse you, I'm the one being in pain here." Haechan noted. Even when almost asleep he was
still sassy, Mark thought.

"I know. Now go to sleep. Good night." he said and pulled Haechan closer so now the man was
practically laying on him.

"Good night Markie." Haechan said and those were the last words spoken that night as both of
them fell asleep immediately after.
 Chapter 25

They woke up late the next morning, to no surprise since yesterday they definitely stayed up longer
than they should have. Totally worth it in Mark's opinion though.

Just a few minutes after both men opened their eyes they heard someone banging against the door.
Haechan winced and looked at Mark with big eyes. Mark himself felt Haechan's fear. He hesitantly
sat up from the bed.

The loud came again and Haechan buried his head in the pillow. Mark, despite his fear, let out a
small giggle at the smaller. He then stood up and went to the door, ready to fight. Even though the
possibility of it being a Nct mafia member was low, Mark didn't rule it out.

He took one last breath and made a fist with his hand before relaxing again and pulling the door
open. To his relief on the other side stood Jeno, Jaemin and Renjun. They were all dressed and
eyed Mark up and down before Jeno said "Ah so that's why you were still sleeping. Stayed up long
last night, huh?"

"Uh yeah. How do you know?" Mark asked. He wanted to give them entrance but then
remembered Haechan was still naked and in his bed. It was probably better if the three just waited
outside.

"How do we know? That's a joke right?" Renjun laughed and then pointed to Mark's neck. Even
though he couldn't see, Mark knew what the boy was getting at and blushed. He shyly rubbed the
skin, wincing a bit.

"Anyway, we will be there in a minute. Sorry for being late." he mumbled, avoiding the three
men's eyes. They agreed to meet in the lobby and Mark closed the door again. He turned on his
heels and went back to the bed where Haechan had peeled himself out of the blanket.

"Who was there?" the small male asked, looking up at Mark innocently. The other desperately
tried to avoid looking at Haechan's completely nude body.

He answered "It was just Jeno, Jaemin and Renjun. They're waiting for us in the lobby so we
should get dressed."

Haechan hummed and stretched himself before getting off the bed. Mark couldn't help but steal a
few glances, admiring Haechan's beautiful body. His small waist and tan skin was just adorable
and Mark felt the sudden urge to cling onto Haechan and make sure nobody ever laid a hand on
him.

Trying to get rid of those thoughts, he took a pair of jeans and a hoodie and put them on. It was
comfortable and Mark knew the hoodie was much needed since it was quite cold outside.

He waited for Haechan who got dressed as well. Mark smiled at him without realising. The image
of Haechan in an oversized hoodie was just too cute and made Mark's heart hurt. He was so
whipped for Haechan, it should probably be illegal.

The two exited their room. On their way Haechan intertwined their fingers at which Mark raised
his eyebrows. Haechan either didn't notice or didn't care for his bold action as he only kept on
walking. The older male chose not to comment and only followed Haechan down into the lobby.

Their arrival had obviously been anticipated since Renjun happily jumped up and down once he
saw them. He hugged Haechan and then laughed at Mark's sulky face.

"Let's go eat breakfast." Jeno suggested and slung his arm around Jaemin's waist. Mark suddenly
felt the urge to do the same with Haechan so as they walked to the cafeteria of the hotel, he
sneaked his arm around the smaller male. The latter gave Mark a shy smile and didn't hesitate to sit
next to him at their table.

"So what are we going to do now?" Jaemin questioned, catching everyone's attention. Mark had
been watching Haechan with heart eyes and Jeno had done the same for Renjun.

"We have to buy papers for us. We're kind of staying here illegally at the moment." Jeno replied,
lowering his voice at the last part.

"Not me. I still have mine from my childhood. But you guys for sure." Mark noted and then tilted
his head in thoughts. Then he said "I might have someone who could help us with that. An old
friend still owes me a favour."

Everyone looked at him with big question marks in their faces. He chuckled at them and then
explained "His name is Kevin Moon and I gave him a bit of money a few years back so he and his
boyfriend could go to Canada as well. I don't know if I still have his number though."

"And how can he help us?" Renjun asked, his cat ears now peeking out of his hair in interest.
Jaemin next to him hissed and pulled Renjun's hood over his head so the ears were hidden.

"Last time we talked he worked in the immigration office. I have no idea how he did that since both
him and his boyfriend are originally illegal immigrants as well." Mark told them. Haechan scooted
closer to him and asked "Do you think we will succeed like them?"

Mark smiled down at the man's face. He could count Haechan's lashes and could even spot the
mole on his cheek which he wanted to peck very desperately. But he reminded himself that they
were in public so he only responded with a nod and said "I certainly hope so."

And he did. He hadn't heard from Kevin in a long time but he remembered the man and his
boyfriend happily moving into a new house and Kevin having a stable job. That was the last news
he heard from Kevin and exactly what he wished for himself and his friends.

So after breakfast Mark searched his phone for any trace of Kevin and luckily he found the man's
phone number. He called but nobody picked up, causing Marl to let out a frustrated sigh.

"Are you alright?" Haechan asked him. Mark hummed and dialled the number again, looking
around. They were sitting in front of the hotel together, Renjun in his cat form strolling around. He
probably had missed being in it. Haechan let the cat rest on his lap and petted Renjun's head. While
those two weren't aware of it, Mark could clearly see the jealousy in Jeno's and Jaemin's faces.

He snickered to himself but then was taken by surprise when he heard someone actually picking up
the phone.

"Hello? Who's this?" a man's voice asked. It didn't sound like Kevin at all so Mark bit his lip and
asked anxiously "Is this Kevin Moon's number?"

"Uh yeah it is. Who are you?" the stranger replied. Mark could hear how creeped out he was so he
quickly assured "I'm an old friend of his. My name is Mark Lee. Could I maybe talk to him for a
second?"

"Sure I guess." the man on the other line said and Mark could hear him distantly yelling Kevin's
name, calling for him to come.

"Hello?" Mark could now hear Kevin's stressed out voice. Despite him having hoped for this,
Mark still felt suddenly emotional. He hadn't heard Kevin's voice in years, basically since he was a
teenager. Now hearing him again, sounding much more mature but still somewhat the same, it
caught Mark off guard.

He cleared his throat and said "Hey Kevin. It's me, Mark Lee. Do you still remember me?"

It went quiet on the other side of the line and Mark almost thought Kevin had just hung up on him.
However after a few seconds of silence Kevin whispered in shook "Mark, is that you?"

"Hey man!" Mark now switched to Korean. Kevin now seemed to recognise him as Mark heard
him squeal over the line and then say with a much more excited voice "Hey Mark! Oh my god,
how have you been?"

"I'm doing good, hyung! What about you though? How is work? Your house? Are you still in a
relationship?" Mark asked rapidly. He leaned back against the bench he was hating with Haechan.
The latter took that as an opportunity to lean his head onto Mark's shoulder while continuing to pet
Renjun.

"I am doing great as well! We paid off the house's loan last year and now I can finally save up
some money for mine and Jacob's wedding." Kevin told Mark who gasped.

"You and Jacob are getting married? Wow, congratulations man!" he told Kevin. He could
practically hear the other going shy over the line as he mumbled "Ah, yes we are. Thank you. He
was the one to give me the phone."

"Damn, his voice has changed a lot." Mark commented. Kevin hummed and agreed "It sure has but
so has your's. You sound all grown up now."

"I'm like a year younger than you." Mark grumbled, causing Kevin to break out in laughter. After
he calmed down the older man asked "So why are you calling now? I mean I'm happy you did but
it's a bit sudden."

Mark grinned, that's the Kevin he knew. Always straight to the point without being rude. Feeling
more relaxed now Mark casually said "So I'm in Canada right now and I kind of need you to help
me and my friends out."

"You're what?" Kevin exclaimed so loudly that even Haechan looked up. Mark put his hand onto
the smaller's head and softly pressed his head back down onto his shoulder.

"Yeah, there was some shit going on in Korea so me and four of my friends decided to go to
Canada just like you and Jacob did." Mark explained to Kevin. The man let out a sigh and Mark
could practically see him pinching his nose bridge.

"And I assume you want me to get them papers, am I correct?" he asked after a bit of silence. Mark
hummed and Kevin let out another sigh, this one deeper than the first.

"Fine, tell me their information and I'll see what I can do. But I can't promise anything." he gave in
and Mark happily jumped up. Immediately after he apologised to Haechan who's head he had
violently nudged with his elbow while doing so.

"Thank you, hyung!" he told Kevin over the phone while profusely ruffling Haechan's hair and
mouthing apologies. He then proceeded to tell Kevin the information he needed.
"I will give you a call tomorrow, I should know by then if I can make it possible. But if yes, then
it'll take another few weeks before you get the papers." Kevin informed him after they finished.
Mark assured him that it was okay and then the two hung up.

"I assume after your reaction that he said yes." Jeno commented, obviously amused. He was
wearing his eye smile and when Mark confirmed his smile only brightened up more. Same for
Jaemin and Haechan who both let out little shouts of joy. Even Renjun, who was still in his cat
form, was running around, letting out little meows. Mark took them as cheers.

Afterwards they just walked around Vancouver together a little more before returning into their
respective rooms. Mark just laid down and let Haechan cuddle into him as always. The smaller was
quite a cuddle bug but of course Mark didn't mind that. The detail only made Haechan more
lovable to them.

Speaking of Haechan, the man spoke up after a few minutes of silence and asked "Mark?"

The other hummed to signal he was listening. He felt Haechan on his chest take a deep breath
before rambling "I just wanted to thank you. You have done so much for me, have always been
there for me, have always fought for me. I really don't know how to repay you."

Mark felt his throat tighten at the smaller's words. He protectively laid his head on other's head and
stroked his hair while replying "You don't have to repay me. None of this shit would have
happened if I had just done my job properly and taught you like Taeyong wanted me to. I just—"

But Haechan interrupted him with a very clear and steady voice "No, Mark. Do not think like that.
If you had done like Taeyong wanted you to then I would have probably died on the streets.
Because of you I'm here, alive, well and healthy. Because of you I found out I'm not crazy for
having feelings because I'm actually human. Because of you I have felt so much happiness. So
please don't apologise. If anything I should be the one apologising for causing you so much
trouble."

Only at the last few words Haechan's voice became weak and Mark heard it as well as his own
heart cracking. He pulled Haechan's head up from his chest and looked him into his beautiful
brown eyes. The little galaxies greeted him like an oh so familiar friend and Mark realised it was
because Haechan was tearing up. It was the first time he had ever seen a tear roll down the
smaller's cheeks and shit, the sight hurt. So to stop Haechan from crying, Mark closed the distance
between them and softly pressed his lips against Haechan's.

"I am so happy I met you." he whispered against Haechan's lips once they parted. Haechan didn't
reply but only kissed Mark again and the latter could feel his smile in the kiss. The feeling was so
breathtaking, the little butterflies in his stomach, the soft feeling of Haechan's lips, the man's hair
tickling Mark's forehead. It was pretty much perfect, magical almost.

They kissed and kissed, never getting tired. As Mark had to admit once again, Haechan's lips were
fucking addictive. And the way Haechan's little body cuddled against his made Mark want to
protect him from all evil ever and for now he was doing a pretty good job.

Hours flew by and soon it was night again. Mark had decided to take a shower. The warm water
felt good on his skin which was slightly bruised on his neck where Haechan couldn't resist but
make even more hickeys. But who was Mark to complain about that?

Only dressed in a pair of sweatpants he left the hotel room's bathroom. Haechan eyed him up and
down and Mark smirked as Haechan's face obviously portrayed the emotions he was feeling.
"Ah, don't be flustered. You should get used to this view." Mark joked and Haechan only blushed
more, his ears redding significantly. Mark laughed at him and threw on a shirt before crawling
under the covers. He let his head rest against Haechan's chest, who wrapped his arms around
Mark's head.

The older male buried his nose in Haechan's shirt, feeling his chest muscles against his nose. Mark
loved Haechan's smell, it was very subtle but always there. He had noticed it, even when he
thought that Haechan was still an android but never bothered to actually let himself enjoy the
smell. Haechan smelled like a garden after a night of rain, a bit flowery but still fresh. And Mark
loved it.

Feeling Haechan's hand pet and stroking his hair was enough for Mark to fall asleep and so did
Haechan just a bit later. The two clung to each other in their sleep but awake as well. When eating
breakfast, when talking with Jeno, Jaemin and Renjun, the two were never separated. Mark never
let Haechan out of his sight because in the back of his mind there was still a little paranoid voice
telling him that maybe Taeyong or Jaehyun were around, ready to get Haechan the first time he
was alone. As much as Mark knew these thoughts were ridiculous they were still imprinted in his
mind. Same apparently went for Haechan who would not want to let go of Mark's hand.

And so the two walked together through the streets of Vancouver where Mark was now looking for
a job. He actually did get a few acceptances but wasn't really sure for which one to settle. And also
he was still waiting on his friend's papers which Kevin had confirmed him, he could get.
Especially for Haechan this was important as he didn't even have any Korean papers so literally
didn't exist per law.

The two talked about it, Mark explained to Haechan why it was so important that they got papers.
Haechan didn't understand right away but after some explaining and with the help of Jeno's logical
arguing he seemed to have understood.

"Haechan?" Mark whispered one night. It was the night before the papers were supposed to arrive.
Both Mark and Haechan as well as their friends were obviously anticipating it.

"Haechan, once you have your papers would you like to search for an apartment with me?" Mark
asked, his voice a bit hoarse. He knew they had been living with each other this whole time but
legally signing a contract was a bigger step than being forced to live together because there was no
other way.

But of course and much to Mark's relief Haechan whispered "Yes, I would love that. I want for us
to have an apartment again. I can't stand this hotel room anymore."

Mark giggled, his heart melting at Haechan's cute antics. He wrapped one arm around the smaller's
waist and Mark could hear Haechan's breath going steady after a few minutes.

Roommates. He liked that word. But he liked the word boyfriend even more. But how the hell was
he going to ask Haechan about that? He knew that between them was obviously more than
friendship but what if Haechan didn't know that. What if Haechan felt about Mark the same way
he felt about Jaemin, about Renjun or Jeno and just didn't act like this with them because they
wouldn't let him.

He would have to ask Haechan about it tomorrow. Who knows, maybe with a bit of luck the two
would fall asleep as boyfriends in twenty four hours.
 Chapter 26

The whole next morning nobody really stayed still, everyone shuffled around. Mark was probably
the calmest out of all of them but he himself was feeling all jittery.

The papers were supposed to be delivered by Kevin around Midday. Mark honestly wondered what
Kevin looked like now since it had been years since he last saw the guy.

They met up in the lobby. Mark, upon seeing the new, all grown up Kevin, felt overwhelmed. He
tightly hugged the man, thanking him over and over again.

"It's no big deal, don't worry." Kevin assured him. It was a lie. This was quite a big (and illegal)
deal but Mark felt grateful nonetheless. He and Kevin chatted for a bit more before saying goodbye
but not without promising each other to keep in contact.

When Mark returned to the others he gave them their papers. Everyone checked theirs and they all
seemed legit. Mark wouldn't have known that they had been just made if it wasn't for the fresh
paper smell which would be gone in a couple of days.

"And now all we have to do is find jobs and homes." Jeno said jokingly. It was not that far from
the truth though as that was their eventual goal. For now though Mark and Jeno went to a bank and
paid in all their cash money on newly created accounts they could now access as they had legal
papers.

However while Jeno returned to Jaemin and Renjun to their hotel room afterwards, Mark didn't. He
instead nervously asked Haechan to come outside. While on their stroll tester they had found a
beautiful park and Mark thought that that might be the right place to ask that question.

To his luck Haechan didn't interrogate him on where they were going but just let Mark take the
lead as they were talking about their next steps. Mark tried to mask his anxiety but didn't know if
he was successful as he could feel Haechan's hand squeezing his own in comfort quite a few times.

Once they arrived, they settled down on a bench. Even though summer here was let hot than in
Korea, the warmth of the sun still gave them comfort as they sat under a big cherry blossom tree.

"Mark?" Haechan asked. The other hummed and turned to Haechan who giggled and pulled out
one of the cherry blossoms out of his hair. He showed it to Mark who laughed as well. His eyes fell
onto Haechan's wide and bright smile. With each giggle, the man's nose would scrunch and Mark
was absolutely in love with the sight.

"Haechan, are you still serious about wanting to move in with me once we have an apartment?" he
asked. Haechan looked at him and nodded eagerly. Mark could see the sincerity in his eyes, those
pretty brown eyes who were now pools of honey since the sun was shining into them. Mark could
drown in them, that's how deeply in love he was.

"Just ask it." Haechan whispered, seeing as Mark had scooted closer a little. The older man was
slightly taken aback and hummed a "What?"

"The question. I know you want to ask it." Haechan mumbled with a knowing smile on his lips.
Mark gulped. He knew Haechan's answer already but somehow saying these words was now so
much more difficult than when he practiced them in front of the mirror this morning.

"Haechan. Lee Haechan or Lee Donghyuck, it doesn't matter. What matters is you and how I have
called in love with you. I don't want to make this cheese but just know it's the truth when I say that
I love you so much. You're all I can think about, in my past, my presence and my future which I
will hopefully get to spend with you. You're the love of my life and even though we have been
through some stuff, like you being an android or us getting our asses kicked by a highly dangerous
mafia, just know I would go through all those struggles again if that means I get to be right here
with you." Mark rambled. He felt himself tear up and when one tear had fallen, Haechan was quick
to wipe it with his thumb. He cupped Mark's cheeks and stared up at him, knowing he wasn't
finished yet.

"So Lee Haechan, would you give me the honour of being your boyfriend?" Mark whispered.
Haechan nodded eagerly with glassy eyes which Mark could only see for a spit second. Haechan
had closed the distance between them and pulled Mark into a kiss, their first kiss as official
boyfriends.

And Mark's mind was blank for approximately three seconds before he realised what had
happened. Immediately he kissed Haechan back, letting out a little cheering noise in between the
kiss.

"I don't know what cheese had to do with this but yes, I will be your boyfriend." Haechan told him
after they pulled away. Mark looked at him in disbelief to which Haechan only shrugged and noted
"You said it would be cheesy. So I was expecting some cheese."

"Oh god!" Mark laughed out, snorting and giggling uncontrollably. Usually he wouldn't even have
found this that funny but all the relief was kind of clouding his mind right now. Haechan joined in
his laughter and cuddled into Mark's side as the two sat under the cherry blossom tree.

"Holy shit, you're my boyfriend now." Mark muttered after they had calmed down. Haechan
nodded and said "Yes, indeed I am."

And to that Mark kissed him again, now not being able to hold back. He felt every positive
emotion at once and all he wanted now was to scream out at the world that he had finally found the
person of his dreams, his soulmate one might say.

Later they returned to the hotel where Jeno had informed them that he had already found a job as a
florist. Mark felt surprised but now that he thought about it, it only made sense as Jeno had been
the one to take care of all the plants at their old weapon store.

Mark was also quick to find a job as a secretary of a Korean-Canadian company. His bilingualism
came in handy at that and so he was paid quite well despite just having started in his position.

With the rest of his money, him and Haechan were now looking for apartments to rent. He didn't
have to worry about the price that much now since he would be getting paid a lot by the end of the
month.

In the end they settled for a small apartment with one bedroom and one bathroom. It was close to
Jeno's, Jaemin's and Renjun's apartment which had been important for Haechan especially.

And Mark loved living with him. After he came home from work, Haechan would cook him a
meal and they ate while watching TV together. Also all the cuddles, a way more comfortable bed
and no room neighbours they could keep up at night during their activities were all advantages of
their new living situation.

There was only one downside and that was how tired Mark got after coming home from work. It
was nine hours every day that he had to spend in the office. To someone who never had to follow a
specific working schedule after they graduated, this all felt incredibly new and unfamiliar. Hence
why Mark felt so tired and frustrated at times.

He could literally feel his battery draining. He wanted to lash out at Haechan for it but didn't. He
knew Haechan was trying to help the best way he could by doing a lot of chores but Mark would
just feel so much better if he knew that Haechan also had a job so he wouldn't be their only income
of money.

It didn't help very much that Haechan had become lazy. Well not lazy but to Mark it felt that way.
Whenever he arrived home, Haechan was already in his pyjamas, playing games or watching TV.

Mark felt fed up with him so one day after returning from a long day of work, he snapped once he
saw Haechan lazily cuddled onto the couch. The man was just watching the news on the TV-
screen, nothing out of the ordinary.

"Welcome back!" he greeted Mark who scoffed and took off his jacket before walking into the
living space.

Haechan, upon not hearing a response, looked up at his boyfriend who tiredly rubbed his temples.
He stood up and walked over to Mark, asking "What's wrong?"

"I'm just fucking tired. And it's especially frustrating when I see you just laying around all day
while I'm working hard to get us the money to live here." Mark replied. He could hear his voice
raising and tried to calm down. He swatted Haechan's hand away who wanted to cup his cheeks.
The younger male let out a wince and took a step back.

"You know I'm not just laying around all day. I'm trying to find a job, it's just hard." he mumbled
and Mark could hear the hurt in his voice. But he just rolled his eyes and said angrily "It can't be
that hard. Even Renjun got a job, you're the only one who hasn't found something yet! If this is
supposed to work we need to both do our part! I can't be the only source of income we have!"

"I'm trying, okay?!" Haechan shouted. Mark winced at his loud voice, it was honestly such a pain
to hear any loud noise when tired but especially when it was Haechan's hurt and angry yelling.
Mark had never heard him like this.

"Well, try a bit fucking harder, would you?" Mark yelled back. While he did feel bad, he felt good
at the same time. It was wrong to shout at Haechan, he knew that, but he just needed to let out his
build up stress and frustration.

"What's your fucking problem? Don't you see how hard I am trying? I have looked through all
these newspapers just to find anything, any small job so I can help!" Haechan shouted, pointing at a
stack of about fifteen newspapers from the past two weeks. Mark didn't even glance at them but
stared at Haechan who had gotten teary.

"Okay but did you find anything? No! Haechan, I'm so fed up with working nine hours every day
just to come home to you who obviously doesn't care about it whatsoever. All you do is complain
that you didn't find a job yet! Maybe you should try a little harder, go around the shops downtown
and ask there!" Mark exclaimed. He clenched his jaw and averted his eyes from Haechan's angry
face to the floor,

"You know I'm still not good with English. They would probably just mock me!" Haechan yelled.
Mark heard his voice crack and he could hear a sniff from the smaller. She was obviously trying to
hold back his tears and so was Mark. He didn't know whether it was out of anger, frustration or
hearing Haechan cry.
"Whatever, I can't deal with this right now!" he announced and then stormed into the bedroom.
Haechan followed and asked "What are you doing?"

"Packing my things. I'm staying at our friend's house tonight." Mark told him and ignored all of
Haechan's cries for him to stay. Just being close to him made Mark feel mad and he needed to get
some distance between them. Just for tonight at least.

"Please Mark, stay!" Haechan sniffled, holding onto the older's arm when he was at the door. Mark
didn't look at him but wiggled himself free and slammed the door shut right in Haechan's face. By
now, he as well had tears streaming down his face.

Due to his blurred sight he had a bit of trouble navigating through the streets but finally ended up
in front of his friends' apartment. He rang the bell, wiping his tears.

The door was opened by Jaemin whose smile fell as soon as he spotted Mark's puffed face. He
immediately pulled his hyung inside, asking "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

His voice must have attracted Jeno's and Renjun's attention as well. If Mark hadn't been crying he
would have noticed both of them having him bruised and swollen lips like from a make out but
Mark was way too occupied with himself than to pay attention to such trivial details.

Jaemin sat him down onto the couch and hugged Mark tightly, whispering little assurances in his
ear the whole time. Mark just started absolutely bawling his eyes out, the tears not stopping at all.
He could feel and see Jeno sitting down on his other side and rubbing his back in comfort while
Renjun transformed into his cat form and softly butted his head against Mark's belly.

"Me and Haechan got into a fight." he managed to croak out in between his sobs. He heard Jaemin
sigh but couldn't decipher why so he just buried his head in the crook of Jaemin's neck who patted
his head.

"What did you fight about?" he asked with his soft voice. Mark gulped and took a breath to control
his tears. He pulled back to look at Jaemin who was only giving him a very sincere and worried
face.

"About how he couldn't find work and how frustrated I was. I lashed out and told him he should try
harder and he said he did but couldn't do much more than that because of his English." Mark
mumbled. Jaemin wiped his tears and gave the older man another hug before saying "It's okay,
your feelings are valid. I know how both of you feel and I understand. Do you want to stay here for
a while?"

"Just for tonight if I could?" Mark asked hopefully. Jaemin eagerly nodded his head and pressed
Mark's back into the couch.

"Don't you worry, you're always welcome here. Is there anyone with Haechan right now?" Jaemin
asked. Mark shook his head and sniffled, trying not to cry again at the thought of Haechan alone in
their big apartment.

He saw Jeno and Jaemin exchanging a look. They gave Renjun a look as well but neither of them
said anything. Mark admired their ability to talk solely through their eyes.

"I'll go look after Haechan. Jeno and Renjun will take care of you. It will be alright, don't worry."
Jaemin assured Mark who nodded and gratefully replied "Thank you so much. I already feel bad
for leaving him but I just couldn't stay in that apartment. It was too much."

"Hyung, don't worry about it! It can happen and all couples fight sometimes, it's natural." Jeno said.
He got a blanket off the other side of the couch and handed it to Mark who threw it over himself
and Renjun on his lap. The cat's head was the only visible part of him and he gave a little meow.
Mark cooed at Renjun's cuteness and petted him. The cat rubbed his head against the palm of
Mark's hand, making it obvious he was enjoying Mark's treatment.

"I'll catch you guys later. And again don't worry Mark! We got you!" Jaemin said, walking out the
bedroom with a bag over his shoulder. Mark waved him goodbye and felt the warmth and tiredness
overcome him. It would be alright, that's what he told himself.
 Chapter 27

The apartment had gone quiet. Mark just rested in Jeno's arms with his eyes closed. With Renjun's
warmth on his chest he could feel himself drift off into sleep which was much needed after the
crying session.

But due to this he was also completely knocked out so when he next woke up, he felt a bit clueless
at first. It was still completely dark around him but he could hear hushed but agitated voices.

His body felt heavy so when he sat up he let out a groan. The voices shut up and a light was turned
on, although only dimly so it didn't blind him.

The man could see three silhouettes, Renjun's sitting on a chair with Jaemin and Jeno hovering
above him. Jaemin now looked at Mark and said "Good morning."

"Good morning. What's going on? What's the time?" Mark asked back, his voice deep from being
previously asleep. He could see Jaemin's figure shifting from one foot to another as he said "We're
having a little problem."

Immediately Mark was alarmed. He pulled back his cover and walked over to the three. Just now
he could see tear stains on Jaemin's face as well as the worried looks on Renjun's and Jeno's.

"What problem?" the oldest asked carefully. He could sense it was bad news and as sleepy as he
was and as much as he didn't appreciate it, he still needed to hear what was going on.

He watched as Jaemin gulped and then averted his eyes to the floor, mumbling "Haechan is gone."

Mark's heart dropped at those words. He could feel a sudden fear spreading through every single
inch of his body as he quietly questioned "What do you mean he is gone?"

"He's not in your apartment. I searched the whole area as soon as it was obvious he wasn't home
but I couldn't find any trace of him. And it's two in the morning, he has nowhere to go." Jaemin
muttered, still looking to the ground. He sounded deeply ashamed of himself which had Mark
confused but he didn't care about that now. All that was important at the moment was Haechan's
whereabouts.

"Are you sure?" he inquired and once he saw Jaemin nod he felt like his heart break. Feeling his
legs going weak he sat down next to Renjun to not collapse right there on the floor.

"We need to look for him." Renjun said. Mark hummed in agreement but couldn't move even if he
wanted to. Through his mind ran every possibility of what could have happened. Had Haechan run
away? Did perhaps Nct find them somehow and kidnapped him? Did someone else break into the
apartment and took Haechan?

He started to hyperventilate which had all his three friends looking at him in worry. Jaemin
immediately rubbed Mark's back and Jeno got him a glass of water.

"Don't worry, hyung. I'm sure nothing bad happened and he just got lost." Jaemin said. Mark
nodded but still couldn't help thinking of all those horrible possibilities. He shouldn't have left
Haechan alone, he should have stayed with him to be able to protect him if anything happened.

Guilt was washing over him as he blankly stared at the floor. He was so, so stupid for leaving
Haechan behind. Surely they could have just talked it out but he had to be extra and go.
He recalled Haechan's face, tears streaming down his eyes and puffy cheeks. Gnawing on his lips,
he feverishly tried to think of a solution, an explanation for the situation that left Haechan to be
unharmed and safe. After a few minutes he swallowed thickly and told Jeno "I'll go look for him. I
don't expect you to come with me since it's night and I'm sure you're tired but I just can't pretend
like I'm fine without knowing that Haechan is safe."

"Are you kidding me? Of course we will come with you!" Jeno told him. Mark's eyes fell on
Renjun who looked anxious but also nodded in determination. Jaemin on his other side got up

"Don't bother looking close to the apartment. I already looked for him everywhere. I suggest we
split up and start from here, searching for him all the way to the apartment. Maybe he wanted to
get here but got lost." he suggested.

"Good idea. Renjun can use his cat form, Jaemin you stay close to our apartment so if he arrives
here we know. Me and Mark will search for him on the streets. If one of us finds him we
immediately call the others to that location." Jeno said and everyone agreed.

Hurriedly the four men left the apartment, everyone going their own way except for Jeno and Mark
who went together. Through empty streets they went, the only sound being the fast steps on the
pavement. The noise echoed against the walls of the apartment buildings towering over them. It
gave Mark an eerie feeling which he couldn't quite get rid of.

Him and Jeno didn't talk, their eyes focused on every little movement they caught. Here and there
were scattered a few stray cats or occasionally a car that drove by. None of that mattered though,
Mark thought. He just wanted to find Haechan, to hold him in his arms, knowing he was safe and
well.

In moments like these he craved a gun. Not to use it but just to have the safety and assurance. Even
though he had yet to experience a dangerous situation in Vancouver, he was sure the city just like
Seoul also had its dark sides. Luckily they managed to live in a peaceful area but Mark didn't want
to imagine what would happen if Haechan wasn't here anymore. What if he had run away and in
his tears got lost in a more perilous part of the city?

No, he couldn't think like that. Surely Haechan was fine. Surely he had found a place, a grocery
store, a night museum, anything where he was now staying until the morning came.

"Where the fuck is he?" Jeno muttered under his breath as they finished their journey around the
area without a single trace of Haechan. Mark could feel his breath hitch as he spotted the
hopelessness in Jeno's face. If Jeno were to give up, Mark knew he would too.

A sudden noise disturbed them, making both Mark and Jeno flinch. The younger looked down at
his watch which was vibrating and ringing, indicating a call from someone. The two quickly
exchanged a look of hope before Jeno picked up. Mark couldn't make out the words but Jeno's face
lit up. He almost cried out at the sight, grasping the fabric of his shirt and clutching his heart.

"Renjun found him but it seems like there is a problem. I couldn't quite understand but he gave me
his location. Jaemin will arrive soon as well." Jeno told Mark. The latter bit his lip in anxiety but
then nodded eagerly and replied "Okay, let's go!"

The two rushed to the location Renjun had told Jeno. The latter told Mark that apparently Renjun
and Haechan were in a park, somewhere not too far from their apartment. Mark ran there, Jeno
following close behind.

And finally the two arrived, jogging through the small park until they found Haechan and Renjun
sitting under a tree. Mark could hear his boyfriend's cries from the distance and he felt his heart
drop. Calling out Haechan's name, he ran over to them, not caring for the stinging in his lungs.

"Haechan, here you are!" he exclaimed in relief and got on his knees in front of the sitting male.
Haechan looked at him with teary eyes and despite the very dim lightning from the streetlight a
few meters away Mark could see the pain on his face.

"I'm so sorry, Mark!" he croaked out. Mark shook his head and cupped Haechan's cheeks to wipe
his tears away.

"Look at me, it's okay. I'm here now." he said and pulled Haechan's head down a bit farther to
connect their lips in a soft and wet kiss. Haechan only kissed back hesitantly but laid his hands on
Mark's which were still on his cheeks,

"I was so scared." the younger of the two whispered once they had pulled away and Mark felt his
throat tightening. The feeling of guilt once again washed over him as he mumbled over and over
"I'm sorry, Chanie. I'm so sorry."

Renjun besides Haechan stood up and offered his seat to Mark, saying "You can sit. I'll talk with
Jeno and wait for Jaemin while Haechan tells you everything."

Mark hummed a "Thank you." before sitting down and turning his head to Haechan whose lips
were quivering. Whether from his crying or from the cold, Mark didn't know.

"What happened?" he asked while taking off his jacket and draping it over Haechan's shoulders.
The latter let out a sigh before explaining with a trembling voice "I was running after you but I got
lost. I went to the park but there was nobody here besides a creepy old man. He tried to talk to me
but luckily Renjun came in time and made him go away."

"Fuck, I shouldn't have left you alone in the apartment! I was so stupid and angry for no reason.
Chanie, I'm so sorry!" Mark said but Haechan only shook his head earnestly.

"It's okay, it's my fault. You were right, I should have tried harder but got lazy. And you were just
stressed from your long day and now you can't even rest because of me." the smaller said and
broke out in tears again. Mark pulled the smaller's head closer to him and Haechan buried his face
in the crook of Mark's neck. With his tears he was wetting Mark's shirt but the man didn't care.

He whispered little affirmations to Haechan who apologised over and over again. So did Mark as
he felt incredibly guilty despite Haechan reassuring him that he didn't blame him.

"Let's go home, shall we?" he asked Haechan after the letter's tears had finally ceased. The man
nodded and they stood up from the bench. Mark looked over to Renjun, Jeno and Jaemin, feeling a
bit guilty for making them stay out in the cold night for so long.

"Everything alright now?" Jaemin asked Haechan who nodded tiredly. He thanked Jaemin, Renjun
and Jeno for staying up and searching for him but all three men told him that it was nothing and
that they were happy he was safe.

They bid each other goodbye before Mark and Haechan left the park. They didn't talk and walked
in silence. Mark wanted to give Haechan a little bit of space because he knew that the man was still
a bit weary. So when Haechan took his hand in his own hand and intertwined their fingers, Mark
was surprised but didn't object. Why would he? He loved the feeling of Haechan's warm hand in
his, loved the way his soft skin felt between Mark's fingers.

A light shimmer at the horizon was already announcing the start of a new day. The dark purple
light reflected on the matte concrete of the street. It was a pretty view but Mark couldn't really
enjoy it. He knew that he had to go to work in a few hours and therefore was appreciative of the bit
of sleep he got at Jeno's place. Now thinking about it, he still had his bag in their friends' apartment
but it didn't matter. They would meet up soon again anyway and then Mark could just pick up his
bag.

They arrived back home. The apartment hadn't changed but the atmosphere had. Both Haechan and
Mark were very tired and therefore only exchanged a few words before going to sleep. At first
Mark contemplated sleeping on the couch but when Haechan laid under the covers and made
grabby hands towards the older, the man knew he couldn't. So he just joined his boyfriend in the
bed, draping the cover over both of them.

"Good night, Chanie." he whispered.

"Good night." Haechan whispered back and snuggled closer into his boyfriend's side. Mark's heart
did somersaults as he realised how lucky he was. Not only because tonight everything was okay but
also in general. The insane amount of luck he had throughout the past months to end up with the
love of his life cuddled into his side in a new country.

Needless to say that in the morning he didn't feel that lucky anymore. Leaving Haechan in the
warm and comfortable bed was now harder than ever as Mark stood up and got ready for his day in
the office.

And yes, the day was hard. The time seemed to pass by painstakingly slow as minutes felt like
hours and hours felt like days. All Mark wanted was to go back home and cuddle with Haechan,
potentially talking about a solution for their problem.

Even his colleagues noticed that he was tired so they let him off a bit earlier than usual. Mark
thanked them as he was grateful for each second he didn't have to spend in the office building.

When he arrived home, Haechan greeted him. This time with a sincere smile which spread over his
whole face. Nothing felt better than to actually see Haechan smile after the pain they had been
through in the past twenty four hours.

"Hello Mark." Haechan greeted him. Mark smiled down at him as the younger wrapped his arms
around Mark's waist to pull him close.

"Hey Chanie. You wanna sit down and talk about it?" he asked. Haechan nodded and helped Mark
undress out of his suit before the two settled down on the couch.

"I spend the day thinking about how to fix this. And I might have a solution." Haechan told the
older who was pleasantly surprised by the news.

"Really? What is it?" he asked, scooting over to Haechan to show that he was paying attention to
him. Yes, he felt tired but the sleep could wait another twenty minutes while they were working
this out.

"Jaemin has got a job as a substitute teacher in an international high school. And while I'm not
qualified for that, Jaemin told me that the primary school in the area is still looking for korean
teachers as it's an international school as well." Haechan told him, the bright smile on his lips never
disappearing.

Mark, too, was now smiling as he gave Haechan a tight hug. Smiling into the other's neck, the
younger continued "I will have my interview next week because it's Friday already. Jaemin said he
would help me prepare."

"I'm so happy to hear that, Chanie." Mark announced as he pulled away. The two looked at each
other, both grinning brightly. Mark bent down a little to kiss Haechan's lips. The kiss tasted like
joy, like happiness, like peace. And boy, did Mark like that.

Haechan wrapped his arms around Mark's neck, pulling him close. Mark, to catch his breath,
parted himself from Haechan but their foreheads stayed connected.

"I'm so lucky to have you." he whispered against his boyfriend's lips. Haechan let out a little giggle
before replying "No, I am the one who is lucky here. You saved me more times than I can count."

Mark wanted to reply that he was also the one who got Haechan into this mess but he knew that
Haechan, being as stubborn as he was, wouldn't let him argue so he just let it go and reconnected
their lips in another soft kiss. It was just as delightful as the first one, a bit more passionate this
time though. Not that Mark would complain, he loved any kind of kiss from Haechan.

"You look tired. Let's get you to bed, shall we?" the younger said asked once he pulled away. Mark
whined at their lost contact but complied nonetheless. Haechan giggled at him and dragged the
other with him into the bathroom where they brushed their teeth together. Mark changed his
clothes and laid down in bed next to Haechan. The other was still watching TV but Mark was way
too tired to join him so he just laid his head onto Haechan's lap and fell asleep to the other running
his hand through his hair.
 Chapter 28

Since he had fallen asleep so early into the evening yesterday Mark woke early as well. Seeing as
it was Saturday he didn't have to worry about getting up but did so anyway to take care of his needs
and brush his teeth.

The sun was barely rising over Vancouver's skyline, telling him it couldn't be later than seven in
the morning. He made sure Haechan was still asleep before walking into the kitchen. After
watching his boyfriend prepare eggs countless times, he wanted to try as well.

To his surprise he didn't end up burning the kitchen down but made some edible eggs. He finished
them quickly and ate a piece of chocolate afterwards since he had been craving one ever since he
woke up.

He went back into the small bedroom where Haechan was now awake but still had his eyes closed.
Mark crawled next to him under the warm covers.

"Morning Chanie." he said. Haechan only hummed and turned his body away from Mark which
had the man frowning. He didn't say anything though and only wrapped his arms around Haechan's
torso to spoon him.

"You want breakfast? I already ate but I could make you some." he suggested. Haechan hummed
again, this time in agreement. Mark kissed the back of his neck and grinned once he spotted the
goosebumps on Haechan's arms.

"You wash up and brush your teeth, I want to give you your good morning kiss. I expect you in the
kitchen in five minutes." Mark announced and cuddled Haechan one last time before getting out the
bed again. When leaving the room, he heard Haechan groan but getting up nonetheless. He
chuckled to himself in amusement. Haechan not being a morning person was incredibly adorable.

A few minutes later Mark heard the small footsteps on the cold tiles of the kitchen. He turned
around to see Haechan in a hoodie of Mark's, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

"Aw, still tired?" Mark asked him and he nodded. He nudged Mark's side and the other moved
away from the stove so Haechan could take over the process of making his eggs. From behind
Mark sneaked his arms around Haechan's waist and let out a little whine to catch his boyfriend's
attention.

Haechan turned his head and so Mark finally gave him a soft peck on the lips. Haechan let out a
content sigh and Mark giggled as he rested his head on the other's shoulder and watched him
prepare his breakfast.

"You're really clingy, you know that?" Haechan noted. Mark hummed and softly kissed the crook
of the other's neck. Haechan giggled at the touch and tilted his head to give Mark more access
while casually stirring in the pan for his scrambled eggs to fry.

Mark of course took that opportunity to leave butterfly kisses on the sun kissed skin of Haechan's
skin, sucking on it ever so often.

"Please don't tell me you have a morning boner." Haechan joked. Mark shook his head and
laughed, taking a step back because he knew that if he didn't stop now he would soon actually have
a boner.
Haechan finished his scrambled eggs and ate them while conversing with Mark. The older couldn't
help but adore his every move, seeing as Haechan looked incredibly adorable in the oversized
hoodie.

He followed Haechan into the kitchen when the other put his dishes in the dishwasher. He then
leaned back onto the counter and just looked at Mark who gave him a glance.

"What is it?" he asked and Haechan shrugged "I don't know. I just really like you."

Mark let out an "Oh" sound. Taken aback by Haechan's sudden confession he blushed slightly and
averted his gaze from the other. Haechan just laughed at his flustered boyfriend and walked up to
him. He cupped Mark's cheeks, making the man look at him.

"You're so cute when you're shy. I haven't seen you like this in a while. Last time probably when I
teased you way back when you still thought you weren't allowed to think sexually of me." he said.
Mark cleared his throat and tried to look everywhere but Haechan as the embarrassing memories
flooded his brain.

"To be fair, you didn't really make it easy for me. You literally took any chance you got to show
me as much skin as you possibly could and still expected me to resist you." he tried to defend
himself.

"Yeah, I remember. That was quite funny, you were so frustrated all the time.." Haechan trailed
off, obviously recalling the memories of back then.

"You little shit. You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?" Mark asked and now looked Haechan
straight into the eyes. He caught the other gulping and grinned at successfully catching Haechan.

"May I remind you that you were the one who was begging me to touch you? Several times as
well." he said lowly while staring down at Haechan.

"That..." Haechan failed to find words which had Mark smirking at his successful attempts to shut
his boyfriend up. Now Haechan was the one being flustered. Mark could tell he was remembering
all the times where he had been laying under Mark, begging for the man to do anything to satisfy
him.

"Don't start a war you can't win." he whispered, pulling Haechan out of his trance. The other
cleared his throat and blushed furiously. Mark didn't even have to look down to know that Haechan
had a boner.

"Really? That gives you a boner? You're really into humiliation, aren't you?" the older man asked
and Haechan audibly gulped. Mark just laughed at him, he enjoyed the teasing and he knew it
would only turn Haechan on further.

"It's so fucking unfair." the latter mumbled and buried his head in Mark's chest. The other chuckled
and petted Haechan's hair. He tugged at it to look at his boyfriend who gave him a sheepish smile.

"You want me to fix your little problem for you?" he asked, feeling himself getting into the mood
as well. Haechan nodded eagerly so Mark captured his lips in a harsh and aggressive kiss which
stood in contrast to the sleepy atmosphere that had originally surrounded them,

Haechan was quick to respond, opening up his mouth so Mark's tongue could explore his mouth
freely. Mark let his hands travel under the smaller's hoodie. His cold fingers traced over Haechan's
hot skin, leaving both of them to get goosebumps.
He took a step forward so Haechan was trapped between him and the counter. Their kiss got more
intense by the second, so intense that they couldn't help but desperately touch each other. Mark
wasn't thinking anymore, he just harshly let his teeth sink into the skin of Haechan's lower lip. The
other let down a high pitched moan, the sound completely sending Mark over the edge.

It was like Haechan was oil to the heat in his stomach that once lit up was now spreading like a
wild fire throughout his whole body. He grabbed the younger's waist aggressively and pulled him
closer until there was not an inch of space left between their bodies.

"Ow, that hurts." Haechan mumbled once they pulled away to catch their breath. Mark let out a low
chuckle and whispered "Bold of you to assume I care, I know you like it anyway. You like having
my bruises on your skin, almost like you want to show off that you're mine."

He felt Haechan tremble and knew he had hit the right nerve. It was cute to see Haechan barely
being able to stand while Mark himself was still completely fine apart from his boner.

"Sit on the counter." he ordered. It wasn't really that Mark cared where he would be fucking
Haechan, he was just concerned that Haechan's legs would just give in from the pleasure he was
about to receive from Mark.

Haechan did as he was told and Mark didn't wait one second to spread the man's thighs. Since
Haechan was only wearing his hoodie and a pair of boxers Mark could clearly see his boner and a
little wet spot on the top, showing that Haechan was already leaking precum. And they had only
just started.

"You're so easy to rile up. Look at how hard you got at that little make out." Mark teased Haechan
who was still panting heavily. The latter pressed his legs together and the pink hue on his cheeks
intensified and spread to his ears.

Mark let out a 'Tsk' sound and forced Haechan's legs open. The other let out a whine but Mark
didn't care and kept pushing until Haechan's whole crotch was exposed. With one hand Mark
pulled down the waistband of the underwear to let Haechan's cock spring free.

"Please touch me." Haechan said. He got rid of the hoodie and took Mark's free hand to press it
onto his burning hot chest. The older almost laughed out loud at his boyfriend's desperation.

"You want me to go soft or hard on you?" he asked, something that had become a routine. Even
though he already knew the answer he had to make sure that Haechan was okay with the way Mark
was about to treat him.

"Hard please." Haechan mumbled, much like Mark had expected. He hummed and gave Haechan's
boner a few strokes. With his other hand he travelled to Haechan's throat where he formed a tight
grip around it. He wasn't choking him but it was still tight enough to leave a bruise.

"Get rid of your boxers. I'm going to get a condom." he informed Haechan. The other did as he was
told but held onto Mark as he requested "Can we go without one?"

"You know that if I go without lube and a condom it's going to hurt, right?" Mark asked and
Haechan nodded.

"Little masochistic bitch." the older said under breath. He pulled his T-shirt over his head and got
rid of his pants and boxers as well so both of them were completely naked now.

He saw that Haechan's legs were closed again so he once again pushed them open. He connected
their lips in a harsh kiss and let his hands travel back to Haechan's waist. The other was obviously
needy as he started grinding his hips against Mark's lower stomach and wrapped his arms around
Mark's neck.

Mark stroked Haechan's waist up and down a few times before grabbing onto his thighs and lifting
Haechan up. The other let out a surprised yelp which was muted due to their kiss.

Mark let his arms hold Haechan for a few seconds and briefly disconnected their lips to pull away
and look at Haechan. The other was obviously confused as he looked down at Mark with big
puppy eyes and his mouth agape. Mark gave him a little wink before letting Haechan sink down
onto his dick.

The other let out a long hiss. Mark knew he must be in a shit ton of pain right now as he hadn't
prepared Haechan neither were they using lube. But Haechan had asked for this and Mark would
give the man pretty much anything he wanted.

"Holy shit, you're big." Haechan gasped out. Mark looked at him to see his eyes tearing up. He
mumbled a little "You okay?"

"Yes. Please just do something! Anything! Touch me, kiss me, fuck me, I don't care! I can take the
pain." Haechan begged. Mark's dick twitched inside the other's ass as he heard those words.
Haechan's desperate, needy voice was one of his weak spots.

"Alright then." he smirked and sat Haechan back down on the counter. The other leaned back
slightly to give Mark more access as the man spat down onto his dick to have at least a little bit of
lube before thrusting into Haechan again.

While doing so he kissed the man's jaw and collar bones, sucking the smooth skin until hickeys
formed. He proudly licked over the glistening skin, all while slow thrusting into Haechan.

It would be a lie to say that he didn't want to go hard already but he knew that if he did that
Haechan wouldn't be able to walk for the next week. So he waited another few minutes in which he
adored Haechan's toned body, his lustful facial expression, his little moans and whines.

"It's okay, I told you. You can fuck me now." Haechan said, his voice strained. Mark kicked his
lips and bent down to whisper into Haechan's ear "Fine, but don't say I didn't give you time."

He then grabbed Haechan's hip bones and pulled them directly down onto his cock until he was
balls deep buried into the younger's ass. Now having Haechan's final go he didn't hold back
anymore but just thrusted into the boy at an animalistic pace.

Haechan, not being able to hold his body up anymore, was now completely laying on the counter,
legs wrapped around Mark's waist. Mark let his one hand rest on Haechan's hip to keep him in
place while the other travelled back to the boy's throat. Haechan let out a moan as he felt Mark's
hand around his neck. Mark caught a little smirk ghosting over Haechan's lips.

"Oh you like that? You like my hands being your choker?" Mark asked hoarsely.

"Fuck y-yes." Haechan stuttered in between his moans. Mark didn't know whether it was an answer
to his question or just a simple moan out of pleasure. But seeing as his goal was to make Haechan
speechless, he concluded he had to go even harder. So he raised Haechan's one thigh up a bit to be
able to hit that spot.

And he absolutely did. Haechan let out a wince and suddenly his legs started shaking
uncontrollably. He tried to speak but each of his attempts got interrupted by a moan.
Mark felt himself lose control over his body, his sight blurring due to the immense pleasure he was
receiving from Haechan clenching around him helplessly.

It only took another moment of Mark's tip abusing Haechan's prostrate before the younger reached
his climax and came hard and completely untouched onto his own stomach. His mouth fell agape
but Haechan didn't emit any sounds as his cum spilled all over his body. Despite his thighs still
shaking and his eyes being glossy, he didn't request for Mark to stop. Instead he winced at each
thrust, feeling completely overstimulated as Mark kept going to reach his own orgasm.

That didn't take long as just a single look at Haechan's messy face and sweaty body combined with
the great sensation of him clenching around Mark's cock sent him over the edge. Mark didn't even
have time to pull out before his body decided to let go and sent him over the edge. He moaned
Haechan's name quite a few times but none of them were audible to himself as he was completely
on cloud nine and enjoyed the blissful waves of his orgasm.

Only slowly his consciousness was returning. He opened his eyes and looked down at Haechan
who pulled himself up and wrapped his arms around Mark's waist.

"I thought you were going to go hard." he mumbled and tried to connect their lips but Mark pulled
his head back a bit. He tilted his head and quietly said "Oh, you thought we were done?"

He could see the moment of realisation on Haechan's face but it was already to late as he had
already pulled out, only to shove himself into Haechan's tight walls again. The smaller let out a
yelp and his legs violently shook around Mark's waist from the overstimulation.

Mark pulled Haechan off the counter so that Haechan was now clinging onto him. Mark's dick was
buried in his ass as the older almost casually walked through the apartment until they had reached
their bedroom. He carefully laid Haechan down, only to harshly kiss the boy and thrust into him
again.

"Too.. Much.. Pleasure.." Haechan screamed out as Mark abused his prostate without mercy. Both
of them were completely lost in their own pleasure and even though he had just came, Mark
already felt a second wave of heat build up in his stomach. The only way to extinguish the fire was
to reach another orgasm and that he did within only a few minutes.

He pulled out and came onto Haechan's already dirty stomach while the boy himself was also
reaching his climax. He couldn't even form words and only pulled Mark down to smash their lips
together in one last passionate kiss before both of them were gone into the paradise of their
orgasms. Mark felt high, like flying almost, as he felt his hot liquid spill all over Haechan's stomach
where it mixed with the other's cum.

Seeing as the only thing that had kept his body up for so long due to his hormones and adrenaline,
Mark felt his body go limp. He fell onto the sheets right next to Haechan,

The only noise in the room was loud panting as both of them tried to catch their breath. Mark
slowly came out of his trance, came down from his high as did Haechan.

"I need you to fuck me raw more often. Hurts but feels good as hell." the man said and Mark would
have laughed if he had the strength.

"Sure thing. Just some lube would be good, I can't keep using my spit. My mouth will go dry." he
joked tiredly. He felt Haechan's chest heave next to him while the man let out a row of giggles.

"I won't be able to walk tomorrow."

"You asked for it."

Haechan hummed and turned his head to Mark who did the same and interlocked their eyes.
Despite Haechan's messy and disheveled hair, his bruised and puffy lips and red eyes he looked as
good if not better than ever.

"You are breathtaking." Mark voiced his thoughts. Haechan blushed and tried to hide it by burying
his face in the crook of Mark's neck. The man smiled softly as he kissed the top of Haechan's head.

"It's true. You are." he stated but Haechan shook his head and mumbled "No, you are. You are so
hot when fucking the shit out of me but at the same time you're caring and always make sure I'm
okay. I love you so much for it, you don't even know."

"Do you always get romantic after rough sex?" Mark asked jokingly but then added in a more
serious tone "But for real, I hope you know I would do anything to make you happy. You are the
love of my life and I will be damned if I don't marry you. Like I mean it, I want to spend the rest of
my life with you because I seriously can not imagine finding a more perfect person than you."

"You better not be proposing to me right now." Haechan said and held up his head a little so he
could look at Mark who was shaking his head and asked "Like this? Hello no, you deserve
something way more romantic than an after sex conversation. Anyway, should I carry you to the
bathroom? I guess you won't be able to walk."

"That would be nice." Haechan agreed and Mark groaned while raising himself off the bed. He
pulled Haechan's limp body up and brought the two into the bathroom where he turned on the
shower. Seeing as Haechan couldn't stand he just sat the smaller down and then joined them on the
floor of their shower.

He helped Haechan clean his stomach (and ass) before washing the sweat off himself. Since
neither of them really felt like moving they just sat in the shower together. Haechan had leaned his
head onto Mark's shoulder but took it off when Mark moved his head.

The two looked at each other, both with completely wet drenched hair as the water fell down on
them like rain.

"I love you." Haechan said and Mark leaned over to give him a very wet kiss before replying "I
love you too."

The two continued their kiss, not caring for the water that was raining down onto them, not caring
for the hickeys on each other's skin, not caring for anything but each other.

And so Mark realized that this was how he wanted to spend the rest of his life. He wanted this
feeling to always stay with him, wanted Haechan to always stay with him. Haechan made him
forget his surroundings, made him forget his problems, made him forget the rest of the world.
Because Haechan was his world, his one and everything that he would never let go.
 Epilouge

"Is he not the cutest?" Haechan asked his husband as they looked down at their son. Mark hummed
and wrapped his arm around the smaller's waist as they together lovingly looked at their son who
was currently playing with another child in their backyard.

"He definitely is, maybe even cuter than you." Mark mumbled. Haechan nudged his side harshly,
making Mark huff. He escaped his husband's death grip and ran out into the back yard to join the
children who were playing around in the grass.

"Hey you two! What are you playing?" he asked them. His son looked up and gave a big toothless
smile as he answered "We want to build a castle out of sticks and leaves! Can Daddy help us?"

Mark laughed and nodded "Of course he can. You don't mind if I collect some sticks, do you
Chenle?" he asked the other boy who shook his head and laughed loudly. Mark grinned and stood
back up to break off some of the branches of a nearby bush.

"Hey, that took a lot of time to plant!" he could hear someone shouting from the porch. He looked
up to see Jeno stare at him with a jokingly angry look on his face.

Chenle, upon seeing his father, let out a loud yell and waddled over the grass to join his father,
Haechan, Renjun and Jaemin on the porch. To not leave his own son alone, Mark returned to the
child.

"Look Jisungie! I got us lots of sticks!" he exclaimed but Jisung only shook his head and pouted.
"It's no fun if Chenle isn't playing." he announced.

Mark sighed and picked his son up, walking over the porch as well. It was a big one, almost bigger
than the garden itself. But it had to fit a grill, a big table with seven chairs and a hammock after all
so the size was definitely justified.

"He is such a party pooper. Only wants to play with Chenle." Mark told Jeno as he put Jisung down
who immediately ran to Chenle who was playing under his father's chair. Jeno laughed at the older
man and shrugged "They're best friends, what did you expect?"

"True that." Mark agreed and then sat down on the chair next to his husband. He held the man's
hand under the table but seeing as Haechan was currently in a conversation with Renjun he didn't
want to interrupt.

He scanned Haechan's side profile. It was still as beautiful as ever with his cute nose, tan skin and
big pouty lips. His hair had grown longer, almost to the point of a mullet, completely hiding the
spot where the metal had been placed years ago. Not once had Mark thought about turning
Haechan off. Ever since they had escaped Nct's bunker, Haechan didn't have a sleeping schedule
either. Mark had the slight suspicion that Yangyang had removed it while experimenting on
Haechan while they were held captive but he would never know if his suspicion was true. The two
had only come to notice much, much later, seeing as the first few months after their escape they
had different things to worry about.

Looking back, Mark seriously wondered how he could ever think of Haechan as an android. Now
everything about the man felt so human that Mark barely even remembered that he once used to
access Haechan's database. If he did that right now, it would feel like such an invasion of privacy
and break of trust. Mark just loved Haechan way too much than to ever do something like that.
He looked down at his hand, seeing the golden ring on it. He loved how it fit perfectly, same for
Haechan. Just like their rings, their hands were the perfect size, perfect to be held by the other.

A little face appeared under the table, pulling Mark out of his thoughts. He smiled down at his son
and helped the little boy to climb onto his lap. Just in time for Jaemin to finish the meat he had
been grilling and was now serving on a big plate.

"Wanna try a bite, buddy?" the man asked his son who looked up at him. Even though they weren't
blood related Mark swore he could see a bit of himself and Haechan in Jisung every time he looked
at the boy. Right now it was Haechan's puppy eyes that Jisung definitely had as well.

"Can I, daddy?" Jisung asked and Mark nodded. He cut off a little piece of the meat and put it onto
his fork for Jisung to try. The mission was a fail as immediately when Jisung bit down on the meat
he spit it out again.

"Mark, he doesn't have his front teeth. How do you expect him to chew the meat?" Haechan asked
his husband who helplessly shrugged.

"I kind of forgot." he admitted and Haechan giggled, saying softly "It's okay, you got me to remind
you." He leaned over and gave Mark a quick peck on the cheek before asking Jisung if he wanted
some soup, which was a meal Jisung could actually eat.

"Parenting, am I right? I'm so glad I have Jaemin and Renjun to help me. I honestly don't know
how you and Haechan handle it with just the two of you." Jeno noted. Mark snorted and replied
"Neither do I. It's stressful sometimes but I still love Jisung over everything."

"Except for Haechan." Renjun on the other side of the table chirped in and Mark nodded in
agreement, humming "Except for Haechan of course."

He gave his husband an adoring look who looked right back at him with heart eyes. Mark just had
to lean over and connect their lips despite their friends and the children watching them. And
honestly he couldn't care less. Renjun, Jaemin and Jeno weren't much better and Jisung had seen
his fathers kiss several times so it wasn't a big deal.

They all ate together before Jisung convinced his parents for a sleep over at his best friend's place.
Mark and Haechan made sure it was okay with Jaemin, Renjun and Jeno that Jisung stayed over
but none of them objected. They all liked Jisung, Chenle obviously the most.

"It's so quiet without him here." Haechan mumbled once the five had left the house. Mark hummed
and sat down in the hammock on the porch. Haechan joined him and the two laid down, cuddling
while looking over their little garden.

"I think we made it." Mark said with a smile. Haechan hummed into Mark's chest.

"Yeah, so do I. We both have jobs, have a house and adopted a son. What's next?" the smaller said.
Mark thought for a little while before replying "What about a cat? Renjun would be happy about
that."

"That's a good idea. I loved Yoonji back then even though obviously I didn't get to know her for
that long. She lived a good life though. I'm happy Johnny and Ten took care of her that well."
Haechan said.

"She really did. I'm glad I got her off the street. Still sad about her death though." Mark noted,
feeling a bit resentful at the thought of Yoonji's death about two years ago. She had lived a good
life, true, but he nonetheless wished he could have cared for her longer.
"Of course. We have to make sure Jisung learns how to take care of our cat too though." Haechan
said. Mark laughed at the thought and replied "He is such a scaredy-cat but honestly I'm down to
see him try. He is just too adorable."

"He really is." Haechan agreed. They didn't speak afterwards and only watched the sunset while
engulfed in a comfortable silence. After a while Mark noticed Haechan was getting sleepier so he
nudged his husband's side.

"Bed?" he asked and Haechan hummed. They walked inside where they changed and washed up
before going to bed. The sun was now definitely setting, painting the sky in a mix of bright pink
and deep purple which was slowly transitioning into the night's dark blue.

Since their bed was right in front of the window the two could see all the little details in the sky
such as cloud formations and little changes of colour here and there.

"Ah, I love this view." Haechan mumbled, his voice already dropping significantly because he was
so sleepy. Mark hummed but couldn't help but ask "You love me more though, right?"

"Of course I do. You know there is not a single thing in this universe that I love more than you and
Jisung." Haechan mumbled. Mark smiled at him and raised himself up on one arm to kiss Haechan.
The latter kissed back, slow but just as loving as always.

"I love you too. Now sleep tight and have sweet dreams." Mark mumbled against Haechan's lips.
The other hummed and gave Mark one last peck before closing his eyes. Mark laid back down and
pulled Haechan's head onto his chest, knowing that his heart beat had Haechan falling asleep in
seconds.

And so it was, the man was immediately out. Mark giggled at his predictable husband and planted
a little kiss on top of the smaller's head before closing his eyes as well and falling asleep to
Haechan's cute and steady snores

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